PONTIAC, Ill. – University of Illinois Extension congratulates the Livingston County Master Gardeners who received state awards from the Illinois Master Gardener program. The award winners were recognized at the Illinois Master Gardener Conference and awards ceremony on Friday, September 13 in Champaign-Urbana.
Cindy Kinate, Joan Smeltzer, and Vic Wiechmann were recognized as Outstanding Master Gardeners in Illinois for 2024. The Outstanding Master Gardener State Award was established to honor the best of Illinois Master Gardeners. Only the top 2% of Illinois State Master Gardeners win this award annually. Recipients must excel in leadership, determination, positivity, and initiative, and be highly involved in the program.
Cindy Kinate, class of 2011, shares her knowledge and expertise about gardening in many ways. Cindy volunteers at the help desk and local Master Gardener events, answering questions and teaching others. Additionally, she shares her passion for gardening and bees through educational programs for all ages.
Joan Smeltzer, class of 2017, is a natural teacher. She helps at various youth projects and programs in the community. Joan shares her knowledge with others by answering gardening questions at the office Help Desk and community events.
Vic Wiechmann, class of 2014, has collaborated with fellow Master Gardeners at the Flanagan Library to develop a pollinator garden, family horticulture kits, and a horticulture resource table for the community. Vic is always ready to assist at Master Gardener project sites and educational programs.
Congratulations once again to all the recipients! If you see the Livingston County Master Gardeners gardening or teaching in your community, be sure to thank them for their outstanding efforts in improving the community and helping others learn to grow.
For more information about the Livingston County Master Gardener program, visit us at go.illinois.edu/LMW_MG or contact the Livingston County Extension Office at (815) 842-1776.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.