Registration is required due to limited capacity in the Sembler Family Library. 

The program will begin with "Let Your Garden Grow...Or Not!" by Arlene Murphy, renown for her gray fingers! 

Vernon was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attended and graduated from Chicago Public Schools and went on to earn a BS in Botany from Eastern Illinois University, a MS in Horticulture from Iowa State University and a Master in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He started his work career as an Urban Extension Agent with the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service and went on to work with the Chicago Botanic Garden. He relocated to Florida in 1998 to help oversee the development of the Florida Botanical Gardens with Pinellas County Extension and Pinellas County Parks. He spent 4 years with the YMCA of the Suncoast and has been the Executive Director of the Florida Botanical Gardens Foundation for the last 4 years. As part of his community service Vernon has also served on the boards of Pinellas County Young Life, Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Service, Greater Largo Library Foundation and the Friends of Ridgecrest.

He and his wife, Tish, work together in their ministry, His House Worship Center, where she is the founder and Pastor. He has a son, Torrence and daughter, T’arryn and two young grandsons, Tristyn & Trey’veon. Vernon is also a Rotarian. He is a member of Indian Rocks Beach Rotary, where he has been on the board and is currently Immediate Past President. He will also be Area Governor for our District’s Area 2 starting in July.