Name deletion | Monticello woman at the top of the class as gardener | People

In education jargon, Kathy Lattz would be described as a lifelong learner. In horticultural parlance, she would be known as a long-time producer.

The rural woman of Monticello continues to learn, teach and grow in the fields of education and gardening.

His efforts have not gone unnoticed. Long-time master gardener, Lattz has received a 2021 State Outstanding Master Gardener Award – one of only 1 to 2% of active master gardeners in the state who will be so recognized in their lifetime.

The 68-year-old doesn’t let any grass grow under her feet. Or other plants. Instead, she takes care of it in her garden.

A long-time teacher at the now retired Monticello School, she continues to teach substitute. Lattz grew up on a farm in Will County in northern Illinois and spent most of his childhood green.

“We had a garden. My grandmother gardened. That was back then, “she said. Those days when you did – grow vegetables to feed the family. And flowers to soothe the soul.

Lattz taught his three children to garden.

“They used to pick green peppers and have a bite to eat in the garden,” she said.

Since 2012, the Green Hand has played an active role with the Master Gardeners of Piatt County, contributing over 500 hours as a volunteer.

She is an active leader in the fields of education, nature and gardening.

The State Master Gardener Teamwork Award, which recognizes impactful, innovative and replicable projects across the state, went to the Piatt County Group. The team consisted of Mark Bradley, Cheryl Evert, Charles Foran, Mary Hittmeier, Anna Kaczmarek, George Johnston, Chris Keller, Kathleen Lattz, Kent McFarland, Rosi McLeese, Judy Mitchell, Mare Payne, Kathleen Piatt, Mary Kay Randall, Mike Randall, Jane Smith, David White, Jane White and Helen Wilding.

Lattz enjoys doing a lot of native gardening, including prairie gardening. She brought native plants into the classroom to show her fourth and fifth graders what was native to the area.

Among the native plants that she cultivates in her garden, there is the cup plant, whose leaf makes “a kind of wedge on the steam”. It forms a cup that contains water that birds like to drink. The plant also has yellow flowers at the top.

Other plants native to his garden include astors and milkweeds, which help the monarch butterfly population.

The vegetable portion of its growing menagerie is packed with tomatoes, peppers and eggplant zucchini.

My husband (Dale) made lettuce and it’s over right now. Lettuce and arugula are doing pretty well, ”Lattz said.

Lattz has been a master gardener for about nine years.

“You either take the course (in person), which lasts about 10 weeks with courses of two to three hours, or the online course. It’s probably 30 hours for the whole thing.

To maintain the status of master gardener, a person must volunteer hours and continue their education. She said the more she learns, the more there is to learn.

“They are always coming out with new plants, new varieties, new hybrids,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to try something. Most gardeners have probably killed as many plants as they got alive. Try again. Or if that factory isn’t happy there, “We’re going to have to move you. “

Gardening is Lattz’s main pastime, especially during the growing season.

“In the winter you read catalogs,” she laughed, noting that she also teaches more, enjoys reading, and volunteers with groups such as Faith in Action and a nursing home foundation.

Lattz and her husband, who is also from Will County, moved to Monticello from Nebraska so he could take a job with Farm Business Farm Management.

Critics named student of the month

Anna Crites was named the September student of the month at the Rantoul Exchange Club.

The oldest, daughter of James and Nicole Crites of rural Rantoul, has a GPA of 4.951 and ranks 19th out of her class of 177.

Crites has been involved in volleyball, the mentoring program and the National Honor Society. She is particularly active in FFA, including activities ranging from livestock assessment to return home chariot to state and national FFA convention. She was treasurer, vice-president and president of the FFA chapter. Crites is also president of the Royal Ag 4-H club.

She was cited for academic excellence, including the high honor roll.

She has also been active in her church, Emmanuel Lutheran of Flatville, as well as in missionary work and in the community. Crites works on the fifth generation family farm as a labor exchange for its FFA dairy goat / sAE project. She also served as a companion / caregiver for an elderly woman.

She plans to graduate from RTHS in early December and enroll at Parkland College in the spring to begin general studies and major in nursing or agricultural economics.

Feinen re-elected to city council

Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen has been re-elected to the Illinois Municipal League board of directors.

The election took place at the IML’s annual business meeting at its 108th annual conference on September 25.

Feinen was re-elected to serve as one of 34 vice-chairs of the board and will serve another one-year term.

“With all communities in Illinois facing significant problems due to the lingering effects of COVID-19, it is more important than ever that we all work together for the good of all in Illinois,” he said. she declared.

Three win real estate awards

Jayme Ahlden Fay, a RE / MAX Realty Associates of Champaign real estate broker, has been named the 2021 Realtor of the Year for the Champaign County Association of Realtors.

The award is based on participation in the Association of Realtors, the real estate industry and contributions to the community.

Jennifer Hoss McClellan, broker at Keller Williams Realty, Champaign, received the Affiliated Choice Award in recognition of her service to the real estate industry.

Bridgett Laid, also a broker at Keller Williams, received the Rookie of the Year award, given to a new real estate agent who has not been in the industry for more than two years, but who has actively served on committees of association.

The group Trees pays tribute to Brunk

Trees Forever has named Mike Brunk of Urbana as the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Avocado Award.

The awards were celebrated at an event on September 8 in Iowa City. Trees Forever executives cited him for his work in meeting the Illinois Forest Action Plan goals.

“Mike has been instrumental in supporting and continuing to fund all of Illinois’ community forestry work through the core funding provided to Illinois by the US Forest Service,” the quote read. “Partnerships with other organizations such as Trees Forever are helping it meet the goals of the Illinois Forest Action Plan and provide Trees Forever with the opportunity to expand its forestry work into small communities around the world. Illinois.

Taylor joins the banking group

Trevor Taylor recently joined Peoples Bank 7 Trust as Vice President of Commercial Banking.

It will develop and establish agricultural trade and credit relationships. It will be based in Charleston but will serve customers throughout central Illinois.

Taylor lives in Champaign with his 23-year-old wife, Teitah, and their two children. He volunteers at his church, Meadowbrook Community Church, and at East Central Illinois Youth for Christ.

Rotary Danville Welcomes New Members Rotary Noon Danville welcomed three new members this week: Amanda Galloway, Worth Johnson and Annie Monyok.

Galloway is employed by Country Financial, while Johnson works for NTB Financial, and Monyok owns Monyok Leadership, a business training consultant.

The “President” Visits a History GroupPresident James Madison, father of the US Constitution, recently attended the Ford County Historical Society’s annual dinner.

Terry Lynch from the Chicago suburbs portrayed the former head of state. Lynch entertained the group on several occasions, always as a different historical figure.

The company also honored Cynthia Swanson, Museum Curator Emeritus. Swanson has resigned as head of the historical repository. In honor of his service, he was presented with a small, evergreen potted tree to replace a full-sized tree that will be planted in his honor on the courthouse lawn.