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MNLGA 2024 Scholarship Recipients
is learning everything she can about through artistic choices designed
growing food and plants in order to for the unique physical, cognitive,
expand GroGive into a greenhouse and sensory ways that disabled
and storefront that helps others individuals experience the world. At
learn to home garden. She has a the same time, Woody Plants and
comprehensive long-term vision Planting Design have been two of her
for sustainable horticulture in her favorite courses. She loves puzzling
community that starts with being out how to match varied species’
able to complete her bachelor’s individual needs and preferences into
degree at CSU. beautiful designs.
When, in her second year, the campus
golf course sought help turning an
area decimated by a storm into a
Cristi Demnowicz – 2024 MNLGA learning meadow, she volunteered
Scholarship Award Recipient to develop a planting plan. After
the initial design, she collaborated
Cristi has dreamed of being a
with Empire Landscape, LLC, an
gardener/farmer since she was a
environmental restoration company,
child. Life has taken her in many
on the final plan. That process
directions, but ultimately brought her
taught her much about planting
back to her original dream about 15
and maintenance strategies. She
years ago. During the pandemic she
has continued to gain familiarity
dove headfirst into food gardening
with the plants of this region and
and started her own food security
implementation processes during her
social benefit company GroGive Elliott Kenney – 2024 MNLGA time working at Backyard Bounty, a
(Benefit, LLC). She uses a buy one – Scholarship Award Recipient design-build company focused on
give one model. She makes and sells
Elliott is currently a graduate restorative practices and native
garden related items, and for every
student at University of Maryland, plants, under the tutelage of
$100 in sales, she grows and donates
College Park, studying Landscape experienced garden designers. She
a vegetable plant to someone in one
Architecture. Her studies at the aims to bring these skills with her
of Baltimore’s many food deserts.
University of Maryland have instilled after graduation into a landscape
Through four years of sales, she
in her two areas of interest: beauty architecture career creating planting-
has been able to donate over 250
in access and planting design. focused accessible designs in parks
plants, with the help of community
Her thesis project will focus on and public gardens. A
partners. This fall she will be a
disability-centered design in parks,
senior at Colorado State University,
taking accessibility a step further
studying Horticulture Business. She
Membership Matters • WINTER 2024 19
