Celebrating Excellence
Our Awards Program
The Missouri Master Gardener Association, Inc. (MOMGA) sponsors the Excellence Awards Program. The purpose of each award is to recognize outstanding Master Gardeners, Chapters and Projects throughout the state of Missouri for their outstanding contributions within the state.​
All entries for awards must demonstrate overall excellence, high levels of education, and community outreach that embody the values of the Master Gardener Program and the University of Missouri Extension.
2024 MOMGA Search for Excellence Awards
Project of the Year
Large Chapter
Christian County Master Gardeners
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Medium Chapter
Show-Me Master Gardeners, Sedalia
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Small Chapter
Ste. Genevieve Master Gardeners
MG of the Year
Large Chapter - Joe Walker
St. Charles County Master Gardeners
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Medium Chapter - Patty Baker
Christian County Master Gardeners
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Small Chapter - Janice Britz
Master Gardeners of Cass County
Chapter of the Year
Large Chapter
no award
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Medium Chapter
Christian County Master Gardeners
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Small Chapter
Master Gardeners of Cass County
2024 Chapter Projects of the Year
Large Chapter
Christian County Master Gardeners
Meet Me in the Garden
The Christian County Master Gardeners, in collaboration with the Christian County Library, successfully carried out a series of educational presentations aimed at fostering gardening knowledge and practices. The bi-monthly presentations included a strong focus of hands-on learning and community engagement.
Master Gardeners volunteered to lead presentations, offering them twice a month over a six-month period. This consistent schedule allowed for sustained engagement and the progressive development of attendees’ gardening skills. To enrich the educational experience, physical examples and hands-on activities were integrated into the sessions. These practical elements ensured that participants could apply research-based techniques effectively in their own gardening practices.
Medium Chapter
Show-Me Master Gardeners, Sedalia
Area Farmers' Market Little Sprouts
The Little Sprouts program aimed to foster an engaging and educational environment for children, focusing on horticultural and nutritional learning. The program was designed for children aged 4-12 and the activities were tailored to engage this young audience in hands-on learning experiences that combined fun and education.
Extension Master Gardeners led 18 hands-on sessions, with activities designed to stimulate young minds. They ranged from learning how to identify and label plant parts to exploring the fascinating world of pollination. Activities also included distinguishing between different types of produce – such as fruits and vegetables – and determining where they grow: below the ground, on the ground, or in trees. Scavenger hunts to identify fresh produce grown by vendors at the Sedalia Area Farmers’ Market added a hands-on approach.
Christian County Master Gardeners
Small Chapter
Ste. Genevieve Master Gardeners
Cooperative Project with the City of Ste. Genevieve
The City of Ste. Genevieve is home to several “Pocket Gardens,” small but vibrant green spaces managed by local gardeners and organizations, with the mission of beautifying the downtown historic district. One particular pocket garden is cared for by the Ste. Genevieve Master Gardeners.
The Master Gardener’s pocket garden served as a Demonstration Garden. As an educational centerpiece, the garden provided learning opportunities for Master Gardeners and visitors. The garden contributed to the charm and appeal of Ste. Genevieve’s downtown area, attracting more visitors and fostering civic pride. It also served to build relationships, strengthening collaboration between the Master Gardeners and the city administration, ensuring long-term support for similar initiatives and reinforcing the shared responsibility for community spaces.
2024 Extension Master Gardeners of the Year
Large Chapter - Joe Walker, St. Charles County Master Gardeners
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In 2024, Joe was an active member of several key committees, including the Steering and Education Committees and the Extension Council. As the President of the Steering Committee and a representative to MOMGA and the County Extension Council, Joe bridged local and state-level initiatives, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration.
Joe also led educational and outreach programs such as the O’Fallon Boys and Girls Club summer “garden to table” initiative, emphasizing sustainable gardening practices and healthy eating.
Medium Chapter - Patty Baker, Christian County Master Gardeners
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Patty served as chapter secretary in 2024, helping ensure the program ran smoothly. She also served as chair of Christian County Master Gardeners' annual plant sale, coordinating every aspect of the sale, and personally contributed 600 plants to the effort.
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Patty’s stewardship of the Ozark Library Garden and Nixa Rotary Garden involved planting native species, watering, cleaning up flower beds, and spreading mulch, ensuring that these spaces were both beautiful and ecologically beneficial.
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Her leadership extended to the “Meet Me in the Garden” series hosted by the Christian County Library. Patty gave engaging presentations that inspired attendees to pursue their own gardening projects.
Small Chapter - Janice Britz, Master Gardeners of Cass County
​Janice served as Cass County Master Gardeners Enrichment Coordinator and frequently arranged for and gave presentations at the chapter’s monthly business meetings. As Enrichment Coordinator she arranged valuable speakers, programs and tours for Master Gardeners to participate in.
She was active in the chapter’s booth at Cass County’s monthly “Love the Square” event promoting the Master Gardener program and other Extension programs such as 4-H.
2024 Master Gardener Chapter of the Year
Medium Chapter - Christian County Master Gardeners
Christian County Master Gardeners introduced a new Meet Me in the Garden series at county library branches that reached 112 attendees. Master Gardeners collaborated with Sparta to build a community garden.
Other accomplishments included four $500 scholarships to agricultural students at Ozarks Technical College, three public seminars, 500+ pounds of produce donated to the county food pantry and booths at Ozark Craft Fair and two Walmart Garden Centers.
The chapter’s Facebook page, which included photos from their gardens, gardening tips and event notices, added 405 new followers for a 2024 total of 2,000 followers.
Small Chapter - Master Gardeners of Cass County
Cass County Master Gardeners’ several projects demonstrated their focus on outreach and community. They hosted a booth at “Love the Square,” promoting the Chapter and the Master Gardener Program.
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EMGs participated in the 4-H Garden Project, supported the Cass County Regional Medical Center Plant Sale, raising $6,000 for the hospital gardens, and initiated the St. Mary Magdalene Donation Garden, donating 215 lbs of produce to the “Heart n Hand” food pantry.
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Chapter Master Gardeners also operated a Speakers Bureau that collaborated with libraries and garden clubs on gardening topics such as beekeeping, container gardening, and fall gardening.
Award Categories
There are three categories of awards. The highest scoring Master Gardener person, chapter, and project in each category of a designated membership size group will receive an award. Chapters will be competing for awards against other chapters of similar size.
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The categories for awards are as follows:
Master Gardener of the Year. This category recognizes a Master Gardener who is a member in good standing within a Master Gardener chapter and whose involvement and contributions during the award year are of primary importance, although prior year contributions or involvement may also be considered.
Master Gardener Chapter of the Year. This category recognizes a Master Gardener chapter that has completed at least one or more programs and/or projects of importance to the community. The programs and/or projects must involve two or more certified Master Gardeners. The programs and/or projects may be ongoing.
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Master Gardener Project of the Year. This category recognizes a project which is at a physical location. The project should display best horticultural practices for educational purposes. Examples of a project are a demonstration garden, a school or community garden, or a permanent display.