• By Erin McSpadden
• Posted Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Forsyth EMGVs Win Prestigious Flora Ann Bynum Award

Forsyth County’s Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (FCEMGVs) received the Flora Ann Bynum Award at the 2016 Community Appearance Award Ceremony. The award was for their dedicated work to restore the Medicinal Garden at Historic Bethabara Park, the earliest documented colonial medicinal garden in the United States.

Using records kept by Christian Gottlieb Reuter, which survived from the 1750’s, the FCEMGVs were able to reconstruct the hortus medicus (medicinal garden) of Dr. Hans Martin Kalberlahn, Bethabara’s first physician. The project, which has been in progress for 3 years, was chosen by the 2016 Community Appearance Commission to receive the Flora Ann Bynum Award, which recognizes the projects or people who go above and beyond to practice good land conservation, land preservation, and/or tree conservation. The award is bestowed annually in honor of Flora Ann Bynum, who spearheaded the restoration of the gardens at Old Salem.

The FCEMGVs, who have collectively contributed almost 2,000 volunteer hours to this project since it began, work tirelessly to reconstruct and maintain the hortus medicus with historical accuracy. Harriet McCarthy, President of the FCEMGV Association and head curator of the Historic Bethabara Medicinal and Butterfly Gardens, and Mark Tucker, Forsyth County Extension Director, accepted the award on behalf of the FCEMGVs. McCarthy has coordinated this project since its inception and is thrilled that the FCEMGVs hard work was recognized by the Community Appearance Commission (CAC).

Wendi Hartup, Chair of the Community Appearance Commission, said “The CAC sponsors the biennial awards program to honor those that have made outstanding contributions to enhance the appearance of our community. I personally was excited to hear the FCEMGVs had won an award because they really deserve some recognition outside of Cooperative Extension for their beautification efforts. Those green thumbs really care about the time and effort they put forth. Plants aren’t all they grow...they grow camaraderie and a passion for nature!”

The Commission uses a juried panel of judges from outside the County to determine award winners. The CAC, a 15-member board appointed by the Winston-Salem City Council and the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, strives to positively influence public and private development, advocate for appearance-related issues in our community, enhance and protect the natural environment, raise public awareness through awards and education, and support an appealing image of the community.

From left to right: Harriet McCarthy, president, Forsyth County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Association; Mark Tucker, director, Forsyth County Cooperative Extension; and Victoria Fulton, director, Historic Bethabara Park

Note: Kimberly Ann Cruz took this photo and gave permission for it to be posted on our website.