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Rural Mental Health Workshops

November 19, 2026

Blog Posts

Local Master Gardeners earn state recognition for service and impact

November 2, 2026

Master Gardener volunteers help strengthen communities across central Illinois through education, local food production, conservation, and community...

Local Master Gardeners earn state recognition for service and impact

October 9, 2026

Master Gardener volunteers help strengthen communities across central Illinois through education, local food production, conservation, and community...

Master Gardeners invest in accessible gardens at local nursing home

June 16, 2026

When Hallmark House physical therapist and University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Vic Harting looked at the outdoor spaces surrounding the...

Spring Creek Preserve: Dealing with the invasive plant problem

February 18, 2026

By Mike McGraw, Extension Master Naturalist serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria and Tazewell countiesSpring Creek Preserve, located in Tazewell...

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News Releases

August 31, 2026

Extraordinary Fulton County 4-H volunteer honored
LEWISTOWN, Ill. - Illinois 4-H volunteers empower and prepare youth for success as the program relies on its more than 6,000 volunteers to fill key leadership and mentoring roles. Lonnie Van Pelt, a 14-year volunteer in Fulton County, was recently honored by Illinois 4-H for their selfless...

Pictured left to right are Nimble Thimble members Sharon Collins, Lauri Ireland, Loreen Dresser, and Lauri Hargrove

August 19, 2026

LCAHCE and Illinois Extension Partner to Sew Quilts for Children in Need
GRAYSLAKE, Ill. — In an effort to ensure every local child has a warm, comfortable bed and blanket,  the Nimble Thimbles Unit of the Lake County Association for Home and Community Education (LCAHCE) has partnered with Illinois Extension to sew quilts for children...

Master Naturalists pose for a group picture at Nell's Woodland.

August 5, 2026

Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam Counties welcome new Master Naturalist volunteers
OTTAWA, Ill. – The University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program in Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam counties welcomed a new class of volunteers during a graduation ceremony held on July 31.Sara Egan, Ann Kafer, Debbie Glaser Quinn, Gene Anderson, Lynn Newman, Erin...

Amy Moore-McKee posing with flower arrangements.

August 5, 2026

Marshall-Putnam Master Gardener Amy Moore-McKee receives State Outstanding Master Gardener Award
HENRY, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension, serving Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam Counties, is pleased to announce that Marshall-Putnam Master Gardener Amy Moore-McKee has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 State Outstanding Master Gardener Award, recognizing her exceptional...

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