UPCOMING EVENTS
FFGC/DSR/NGC
FFGC/DSR/NGC
FFGC CONVENTION- 2018
April 22-24,2017
St. Augustine, FL
DEEP SOUTH CONVENTION- 2018
March 18-21,2017
University of Michigan
Holiday Inn
NATIONAL GARDEN CLUB CONVENTION- 2018
May 21-24, 2017
Philadelphia, PA
DISTRICT 111 OF FFGC
Fall Meeting:
October 12, 2017
Host: Perry Garden Club
Spring Meeting: TBA
Host: Tallahassee, FL
Nancy L. Hargroves, President NGC 2017-2019
(A portion of the President’s Message for 2017)
I truly believe that the service to our communities that our garden clubs give assures our future. That belief is the basis for the theme and projects of the administration: PLANT AMERICA. The words of this theme can either be a command to service or a description of what NGC clubs do in communities all over the world. This theme can cover any and every aspect of gardening, horticulture, garden design, and community service – even water issues, as one cannot garden without water! It applies to every kind of garden: Blue Star plantings, vegetable gardens, community gardens, container gardening on town streets, neighborhood plantings, etc.
There will be a singular focus on gardens and gardening. Often a national organization has many projects to appeal to the interest of a broad base of members. But after being in existence for 88 years, we’re a little like the legislature – we keep adding things but we don’t remove anything. If you ask someone why they joined a garden club, nine times out of ten they will tell you it is to learn about gardening.
Gardening will be at the center of every facet of this administration from its theme to its projects. Each state was asked to consider using the same theme so that we can have a unified feeling of all states working together.
Due to the success of The Frightened Frog in the previous administration, there is a new NGC book for Youth on gardening, The Saved Seed. Its premise is to teach a young child that seeds come from nature, not in a package at the store.
NGC – sponsored tours will be visiting gardens in the United States.
This administration will begin another important time in our organization with the launch of the new project of club grants and a fund to support them. A new grant program entitled PLANT AMERICA Community Project Grants will provide financial support for new or existing club projects of NGC member clubs in their respective communities. The first grants will be given during the 2017-2019 administration. It is the hope that this grant program becomes as significant a project for NGC as its scholarship program.
National Garden Clubs needs to sustain itself and its member clubs for now and in the future. An additional benefit of the grant program is that it will be a membership tool – a reason for clubs to stay with us, as they can apply for money to help finance their projects. It can help answer the question: “What does National Garden Clubs do for us?”
Not only will the grants be of help to NGC’s member clubs, it is an additional opportunity for visibility for National Garden Clubs in these communities where grants are used. Signage and publicity for the projects of the grant recipients will be emphasized. A logo has been designed for the project for use on the website, signs, and other products as a graphic visual reminder for this project.
There is a company that also believes in the club projects in communities. They, too, see the value in bringing neighbors, cultures and generations together to share the experience and the joy of gardening. They want to join our effort to PLANT AMERICA TOGETHER. In recognition of the valuable resource that clubs contribute to their communities, 20 garden clubs will be awarded grants of up to $250 of Organic Plant Foods and Potting Soils. Not only are they providing grants for their products for our clubs’ projects, but they have added a page to their website for garden clubs and are using our PLANT AMERICA logo. This company has been in existence since 1929 and I’m sure almost all of you in the room have used at least one of their products, Holly-tone®. The company is Espoma. Help me welcome and thank John Harrison, Vice-President of Marketing for Espoma, and Bonnie Satterthwaite, Territory Sales Manager for Espoma for supporting National Garden Clubs.
National Garden Clubs is an organization composed of dedicated members in our state garden clubs who accomplish great things for our communities and our nation. I look forward to working with all of you, and my life has been enriched by knowing all of you.
I’d like to end with this quote from Marina Schinz, as it very beautifully states how we all feel and what all of our members strive for every day: “To create a garden is to search for a better world. In our effort to improve on nature, we are guided by a vision of paradise. Whether the result is a horticultural masterpiece or only a modest vegetable patch, it is based on the expectation of a glorious future. This hope for the future is at the heart of all gardening.”
Nancy L. Hargroves
President 2017-2019
National Garden Clubs, Inc.
April 22-24,2017
St. Augustine, FL
DEEP SOUTH CONVENTION- 2018
March 18-21,2017
University of Michigan
Holiday Inn
NATIONAL GARDEN CLUB CONVENTION- 2018
May 21-24, 2017
Philadelphia, PA
DISTRICT 111 OF FFGC
Fall Meeting:
October 12, 2017
Host: Perry Garden Club
Spring Meeting: TBA
Host: Tallahassee, FL
Nancy L. Hargroves, President NGC 2017-2019
(A portion of the President’s Message for 2017)
I truly believe that the service to our communities that our garden clubs give assures our future. That belief is the basis for the theme and projects of the administration: PLANT AMERICA. The words of this theme can either be a command to service or a description of what NGC clubs do in communities all over the world. This theme can cover any and every aspect of gardening, horticulture, garden design, and community service – even water issues, as one cannot garden without water! It applies to every kind of garden: Blue Star plantings, vegetable gardens, community gardens, container gardening on town streets, neighborhood plantings, etc.
There will be a singular focus on gardens and gardening. Often a national organization has many projects to appeal to the interest of a broad base of members. But after being in existence for 88 years, we’re a little like the legislature – we keep adding things but we don’t remove anything. If you ask someone why they joined a garden club, nine times out of ten they will tell you it is to learn about gardening.
Gardening will be at the center of every facet of this administration from its theme to its projects. Each state was asked to consider using the same theme so that we can have a unified feeling of all states working together.
Due to the success of The Frightened Frog in the previous administration, there is a new NGC book for Youth on gardening, The Saved Seed. Its premise is to teach a young child that seeds come from nature, not in a package at the store.
NGC – sponsored tours will be visiting gardens in the United States.
This administration will begin another important time in our organization with the launch of the new project of club grants and a fund to support them. A new grant program entitled PLANT AMERICA Community Project Grants will provide financial support for new or existing club projects of NGC member clubs in their respective communities. The first grants will be given during the 2017-2019 administration. It is the hope that this grant program becomes as significant a project for NGC as its scholarship program.
National Garden Clubs needs to sustain itself and its member clubs for now and in the future. An additional benefit of the grant program is that it will be a membership tool – a reason for clubs to stay with us, as they can apply for money to help finance their projects. It can help answer the question: “What does National Garden Clubs do for us?”
Not only will the grants be of help to NGC’s member clubs, it is an additional opportunity for visibility for National Garden Clubs in these communities where grants are used. Signage and publicity for the projects of the grant recipients will be emphasized. A logo has been designed for the project for use on the website, signs, and other products as a graphic visual reminder for this project.
There is a company that also believes in the club projects in communities. They, too, see the value in bringing neighbors, cultures and generations together to share the experience and the joy of gardening. They want to join our effort to PLANT AMERICA TOGETHER. In recognition of the valuable resource that clubs contribute to their communities, 20 garden clubs will be awarded grants of up to $250 of Organic Plant Foods and Potting Soils. Not only are they providing grants for their products for our clubs’ projects, but they have added a page to their website for garden clubs and are using our PLANT AMERICA logo. This company has been in existence since 1929 and I’m sure almost all of you in the room have used at least one of their products, Holly-tone®. The company is Espoma. Help me welcome and thank John Harrison, Vice-President of Marketing for Espoma, and Bonnie Satterthwaite, Territory Sales Manager for Espoma for supporting National Garden Clubs.
National Garden Clubs is an organization composed of dedicated members in our state garden clubs who accomplish great things for our communities and our nation. I look forward to working with all of you, and my life has been enriched by knowing all of you.
I’d like to end with this quote from Marina Schinz, as it very beautifully states how we all feel and what all of our members strive for every day: “To create a garden is to search for a better world. In our effort to improve on nature, we are guided by a vision of paradise. Whether the result is a horticultural masterpiece or only a modest vegetable patch, it is based on the expectation of a glorious future. This hope for the future is at the heart of all gardening.”
Nancy L. Hargroves
President 2017-2019
National Garden Clubs, Inc.
