The Fall MSBA meeting each year features many offerings: local and national expert talks, vendors, a honey show, elections, and...recognitions to beekeepers who have helped support and extend the contributions and health of our community.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Jim Fraser, Past MSBA President, EAS Master Beekeeper, and asset to the community for decades, recently chose retirement (if you can imagine), though he will still be keeping his own colonies. MSBA wanted to honor his years of service, his commitment to beekeeping and our community, and all the hours he has spent mentoring, volunteering, and showing us how it is done with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thank you, Jim. We could never be grateful enough!

Free State Beekeeper Citizenship Award

Lisa Marie Ghezzi, MSBA Treasurer and EAS Master Beekeeper is the recipient of the 2025 Free State Beekeeper Citizenship Award, which recognizes work done by members of MSBA to reach outside our community to educate about bees and beekeeping. Lisa Marie reached out to beekeepers in Maryland and beyond to undertake a survey of varroa management practices, then summarized her results and and created a poster which was accepted for inclusion at the 2025 Apimondia Conference in Copenhagen last September! She gave a well-regarded "poster session" at the conference, and distinguished both herself and our community.

George W. Imirie Award for Beekeeping Education

Valerie Wampler is the 2025 recipient of the George W. Imirie Education Award, a recognition of important contributions to beekeeper education in Maryland!

She leads a beekeeping education program at the Howard County Detention Center, now in its second year. Valerie is also an EAS Master Beekeeper.

Their “Yard Bird” Honey won 1st place and 2nd place at the State Fair!

This year, Valerie started a gardening program near the apiary: they grow vegetables to give to a food program inside the detention center.

The program also provides a children's table in the waiting area of the center with coloring books and crayons.

Valerie and the Yard Birds are working towards both programs to be self sustaining in two years.

MSBA 2025 Honey Show Champions!

Marian Ianuzzi took home the Best in Show Ribbon at the MSBA Honey Show 2025 this month for her Pysanky eggs!

The powerhouse Carroll County Beekeepers once again took home the Best Club showing recognition!

Pysanky uses beeswax, dyes and eggs to create these beauties. Marian’s Slovak family has been doing this informally each year, but things clicked for her when she took the class at EAS this year.

You can learn more about Pysanky here!

[Return to February 2026 Beeline newsletter]