COVID Updates FAQs

Questions from Volunteers

• If I do not feel safe and choose not to participate at this time, will I need to complete the required hours this year?

We encourage you to find a way to volunteer that is comfortable for you, including the three approved at-home activities. Please record the hours you are able to volunteer in the database on the Volunteer Google site. However, if you are not able to complete the required volunteer hours, your volunteer status will not be negatively affected. It is important that you feel safe, comfortable and supported as you make choices that are best for you and your family.

• What is the timeline for the exemption process?

County coordinators and leaders will need to continue submitting exemptions to the COVID safety protocol for activities that occur on or before June 30. Exemptions will not be required for activities after July 1. Please note in-person planning meetings before June 30 for activities that occur after July 1 will still require exemptions.

• Why are exemption requests for in-person work still needed until June 30?

Exemptions are still necessary during the transition to ensure that contact tracing can occur when necessary.

• Do we need to keep following the stated safety protocol practices that were agreed to for an exemption-approved project? If so, which ones?

Yes, with the exception of the mask requirement and carpooling for masked, fully vaccinated volunteers, please honor all the existing agreements for activities where exemptions are already in place. We anticipate that the COVID safety protocol agreements will be phased out after July 1. However, this decision will be driven by information from the Governor, the University and Extension.

• What should I expect in terms of safety practices if my project involves youth?

Master Gardener volunteers should follow the guidelines of collaborating organizations regarding working with children and youth. Many such organizations may continue to require masking for anyone involved with the program.

• How will collaborating with another organization affect my volunteer work in terms of COVID safety protocols?

The expectation is that Master Gardeners will follow the guidelines of Extension and collaborating organizations. If you do not feel safe in any volunteer situation, you are encouraged to withdraw from the activity.

• Can I do in-person activities, such as farmers’ markets, fairs or other public-facing programming after July 1?

Programming decisions will be made locally by the county leadership and county coordinators, for volunteer activities in your community. These decisions will be driven by several factors including COVID-related rules, the scope of activities and their value to the community and the comfort and readiness of volunteers in your group.

• Can I plan a local Master Gardener Program-sponsored (stand-alone) event that requires the audience to wear masks?

Local groups can suggest or recommend mask-wearing, but cannot require it as part of programming that is open to the public. Before you decide to volunteer at an event, please consider what your comfort level will be volunteering at an activity that may have unmasked participants. If you choose not to volunteer at in-person events at this time, we encourage you to consider one of the at-home volunteer opportunities.

• Are there recommendations for shared food at meetings and events?

Until further notice, sharing of food (pot-lucks, passed food trays, shared bowls of snacks, self-serve coffee urns or lemonade pitchers, etc) is not allowed at MG gatherings. All food must be pre-packaged, (boxed lunches, individually bagged snacks, etc) or brought from home for your consumption.

• If a county Master Gardener group is hosting a program for children and/or youth, what are the mask rules?

As MG youth programs are presented in collaboration with other youth serving organizations, this is a very unusual scenario. In the rare case this scenario exists, masks are still required for all participants (vaccinated or not vaccinated) involved in youth programming, activities and events. Based on the assessment of the University's Health Emergency Response Office and the advice of the Office of the General Counsel, through July 1, all program participants involving minors (under the age of 18) and program staff must wear a face covering for all indoor activities. Masking is also required for outdoor activities when six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained.

• What if the Master Gardeners are working as guest presenters, such as Children’s Garden in Residence, with another organization that serves children and/or youth?

Master Gardeners are expected to follow the safety protocols of the collaborating organization that is sponsoring the programming for children and youth.

Questions from Coordinators and Group Leaders

• My group of volunteers really want to get together, can we do that?

Yes, and we encourage you to consider an outdoor get-together option for those who want to participate. Consider a gathering on a different day from your regular meeting, so those who choose not to participate will not miss a business meeting. Many groups may wish to continue using Zoom meetings for the monthly business meeting.

• What about monthly meetings of local groups?

Local groups that wish to meet prior to July 1 should request an exemption. It is strongly encouraged that those meetings be held outdoors with appropriate safety measures. After July 1, it is a local county decision, influenced by city/county/state/venue regulations and guidance for public gatherings. If the goal is to provide a social activity for your group, consider an optional outdoor activity that is not a requirement of the program.

• What if not all the volunteers in my county want to go back to normal, or at least not yet?

Volunteers must be supported if, based on the changing protocols, they feel uncomfortable or are not ready to volunteer. The priority of the Master Gardener Program is for all volunteers to feel confident as they make choices to protect the health and safety of themselves and their families.

• If volunteers choose not to participate, will they be required to complete the required hours this year?

Encourage your volunteers to find a way to volunteer that is comfortable for them, including the three approved at-home activities. Also, encourage them to log all hours they complete in the system. If volunteers are not able to complete their requirements, please reassure them that the state office will be supportive and make policy adjustments later this year so their volunteer status is not negatively impacted.

• Can we plan a local Master Gardener Program-sponsored (stand-alone) event that requires our audience to wear a mask?

Local groups can suggest or recommend mask-wearing, but can not require it as part of programming that is open to the public. As you add events to Sign-Up Genius, be as detailed as you can about the location type (indoor/outdoor), expected registration and capacity and required tasks so volunteers can decide if they will be comfortable at an activity that may have unmasked participants.

• Are there recommendations for shared food at meetings and events?

Until further notice, sharing of food (pot-lucks, passed food trays, shared bowls of snacks, self-serve coffee urns or lemonade pitchers, etc) is not allowed at MG gatherings. All food must be pre-packaged, (boxed lunches, individually bagged snacks, etc) or brought from home for your consumption.