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 volunteer service, leadership, and commitment to gardening education.
A Master Gardener volunteer since 2018, Moore-McKee has contributed more than 300 hours of volunteer service beyond her initial internship. Throughout her eight years of service, she has become one of the most active and dedicated volunteers in the Marshall-Putnam Master Gardener program.
Moore-McKee was nominated for the award because of her ongoing commitment to local educational and community projects. She has been a key contributor to the Healthy Gardening Project, which provides plants and seeds to local food pantries and helps community members learn to grow their own food. She has also been actively involved in the Seeds to Harvest school gardening program, assisting with youth education, garden maintenance, and harvest activities.
“Amy is always willing to lend a hand and share her knowledge with others,” said Emily Hansen, University of Illinois Extension commercial agriculture educator. “Whether she is working with youth, supporting community projects, or teaching flower arranging, she brings enthusiasm, generosity, and a passion for gardening to everything she does.”
One of Moore-McKee’s most popular contributions has been the development and delivery of flower-arranging workshops featuring blooms grown in her own cut-flower garden. She has led flower-arranging workshops both as part of Extension’s Learn, Grow, Share series, hosted with 4-H, and for community members, providing participants with hands-on experience creating beautiful arrangements while learning about growing cut flowers. Due to strong interest, she will lead another flower arranging workshop this August.
In addition to her educational programming, Moore-McKee volunteers annually at the Marshall-Putnam Fair and 4-H Fair, serving as a floriculture judge, creating floral displays, beautifying fairgrounds, and assisting at Master Gardener booths and activities.
The State Outstanding Master Gardener Award recognizes volunteers who demonstrate excellence in leadership, initiative, collaboration, continuing education, and service to their communities. Moore-McKee’s dedication to sharing the joy and benefits of gardening has made a lasting impact across Marshall and Putnam counties.
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 500 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 five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.