GREETINGS from Shirley Nicolai, NGC President

2011-2013 Theme - NGC: Proudly Serving Our Members and Communities


NATIONAL GARDEN CLUBS, INC.




QUARTERLY PUBLICATION February/March/April 2012

KEEPING IN TOUCH

PRESIDENT’S

TRAVEL SCHEDULE



We Want EVERY State on Flicker


Our NGC Flickr site is growing. Is your club or district or state represented? Send pictures with a short description identifying the group, project and location. Your Flickrettes are particularly seeking Blue Star Memorial Marker plantings, hydrangeas (our NGC President’s favorite flower) and Aquatic Eco-system Project pictures. Do it today!

Send pictures to Robin Pokorski at RobinP@juno.com. Then visit our Flickr site (Flickr.com/NationalGardenClubs) - your on-line idea book!

Send pictures to Robin Pokorski at RobinP@juno.com.

Visit our Flickr site (Flickr.com/NationalGardenClubs) and find a wealth of ideas just waiting for you!

National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Website: www.gardenclub.org


MEMBER SERVICES:

For a current

catalog and orders 1-800-550-6007

headquarters@gardenclub.org

National Garden Clubs, Inc.

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(314) 776-7574

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National Garden Week - June 3-9, 2012


National Garden Week Proclamation and Posters are available on the NGC website www.gardenclub.org under Special Projects-National Garden Week. Members may print as many copies as they wish. Hard copies are also available from Member Service and will be sent upon request as in the past.

Elaine DiPietro,

National Garden Week Chairman

WEBSITE

Choosing resolutions for 2012 causes us to think about our goals and what we must do to reach them. The goals often come easily, perhaps even too easily. The challenge is coming up with a plan of actions to achieve our most important goals and then committing ourselves to putting these actions into practice.


We must begin with a self-evaluation. Where are we headed if we continue to do what we’ve been doing? Is this course leading us to the future we desire? Are we drifting in currents that are moving us away from the destinations we want to reach? These questions are pertinent to both our personal and garden club lives, but the focus here is on the latter.


What are our club’s strengths and weaknesses? Are meeting times and places still appropriate? A well-worded questionnaire, which asks for suggestions to overcome cited weaknesses, can be a first step. It is the club’s strengths that will be marketing tools.

Are there areas not now served by a garden club where one would be welcomed? Members from clubs that are thriving can be helpful doing a search and may even have a personal contact from other new housing developments, existing neighbor-

hoods with turnover to younger families, condominiums, high-rise apartmentsand businesses where meetings could take place at lunch are some of the possibilities. Mostly on-line clubs are a largely untapped option. Perhaps there are people who would just like to work on planting and maintenance of gardens; they could be a weekend extension of an existing club or be a new club. Clubs for those interested in house plants, propagation, gardening with children or gardens with edibles are further possibilities. When an organizing meeting is held, it is crucial to find out what these potential members want to learn and make it happen.


Are there existing non NGC groups that would partner with us on a worthy project? Might they then be persuaded to join us?

When the self-evaluation is complete and new club possibilities have been determined, it is time to set a goal for member or club increases and establish a target date. For new club recruiting, a team effort is likely needed. This team should give scheduled progress reports so that others can understand how they can help. When the goal is reached, celebrate!


A less formal, but definitive procedure is needed at the smaller existing club level. Personal “asks” during Standard Flower Shows, garden tours, plant sales and National Garden Week are most effective. The NGC Membership Video available from Member Services can  assist the personal “ask”. As garden club members, we sometimes get so involved with specific projects that we fail to think of these projects as assets that can be used to encourage membership growth.

NGC has a Strategic Planning Committee. Please look for helpful hints from this group on our website.

A garden club of which I’m a proud member distributes a “Dream Sheet” each spring on which members indicate when they are willing to hostess, which 3 committees they wish to serve on or chair, program topics of interest, willingness to provide a program, ideas for the annual day tour, suggestions, etc. Having members provide input makes them feel valued; they are then more likely to retain their memberships and more likely to bring in new members.


The Federated Garden Clubs of New York State will host “Explore the Wonders” from May 17-19. Attending this exciting National Convention would be a stellar goal; the plan of actions needed to make this goal a reality can be found in the current issue of The National Gardener or at www.gardenclub.org.

With best garden club wishes,

Shirley

shirleynicolai@verizon.net

January 26-29 Winter Executive Committee Albuquerque, NM

February 23-25 CFAA Orlando, FL

March 2-4 Philadelphia Flower Show, PA

March 18-20 Deep South Convention, Murfreesboro, TN

March 21-23 Tennessee, Murfreesboro

March 25-27 South Atlantic Region Convention White Sulphur Springs, WV

March 29-31 Alabama, Huntsville

April 10-11 Oklahoma, Alva

April 13-14 Kansas, Junction City

April 17-18 Louisiana, Houma

April 20-21 Nebraska, Omaha

April 23-24 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

April 25-26 Missouri, Cape Girardeau

April 29-May 1 North Carolina, Asheville



Deadline for the next issue of KIT - April 1, 2012

Please send information, articles, etc. to

SRGOSSMAN@aol.com

Sandra Gossman, Editor ‘KIT’

2506 Northwestern Ave, Ames, IA 50010

Shirley Basista, Assistant Editor ‘KIT’

8623 Hollis Ln, Brecksville, OH 44141

sjbasista@yahoo.com

WORLD GARDENING GLOBAL PARTNERS -

Barbara Wesley, Chairman


National Garden Clubs Receive Recognition for Donations to Haiti

The Voice of Haiti‘s success owes a lot to members of NGC, Inc. according to Pam Schoessling, a volunteer with the organization. An article appearing in their publication gave credit to members for their contributions. “Thank you for the support that was critical to the new engineering water project. It could not have happened without your substantial donation.”

On December 8, 2011, taps on the first central chlorination system were opened. Five thousand Haitians have been provided clean drinking water. A goal has been set to install seven more systems eventually reaching over thirty thousand grateful Haitians. Individuals and communities are being empowered. They are receiving help to stem the spread of cholera and provide healthier lives for thousands. Permanent solutions are being sought to provide orphanages, schools and clinics with clean water and sanitation.

Send your checks made out to NGC, Inc. to Headquarters to participate in this project.

Remember also to donate to Global Partners/Running Waters Fund. When our goal of fifty cents per member is met, it will provide money for a project completely funded by NGC members.


NATIONAL GARDEN CLUBS,INC. 2012 CONVENTION

Babbidean Urban Huber, Chairman

Have you registered for the 2012 83rd National Garden Club Convention being held in Buffalo, New York, May 16 to 19, 2012? Do not miss out on the National Flower Show, exciting tours, six educational seminars, top vendors, a comprehensive tri-refresher.An open-to-all Life Members Banquet with a design program will be held in conjunction with the National Flower Arrangers. An International Opening Luncheon speaker and a renowned design instructor from Brazil as the Design Banquet are features for your enjoyment.

Check out the Convention Schedule at www.gardenclub.org. It is also in the winter issue of THE NATIONAL GARDENER. The registration forms and the tours, seminars, tri-refresher, and main speakers information are also at the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State website, www.fgcnys.com

PLANNING A PUBLIC EDIBLE GARDEN

Pat Rupiper – Vegetable and Herb Chairman

The garden catalogs are flooding into the house and it is time for planning. I would love for all of the garden clubs in every state to set aside a time to discuss what they can grow for the underserved in their community. Yes, it involves work. However, it is more rewarding than you could possibly imagine and there are people out there who are anxious to help. Contact the public area title-holder for rules, placement, etc. Contact agencies that could utilize the food for their clients. All gardens need the same thing: water source, good drainage, sunlight, and adequate soil. Start small, have the committee set up a club meeting to start some seeds &/or teach others to do the same, order some transplants, or select the design to beautify the area. Read a few Kitchen Garden and Herb books for inspiration.

Do you need to create a raised bed in the area for healthy soil and easy access? Would it be better to create in containers? Our courthouse steps have seasonal pots that a club creates and waters. It would be so easy to turn those into edibles combined with flowers. Libraries and schools are great places for display gardens. How about a historic site or the public park? Be creative and bold and give it a shot.

Pick your plants carefully for drought resistance and ease of care. Have the utilizing agency ask its clients what they would like to see growing. Many patrons would take pride in helping and it is a wonderful learning opportunity. I bet you could involve the extension office or health department to help teach about using or cooking the food. There are people who can teach a basic garden class out there, expose your club and the community to that resource and ask for helpers. The biggest effort will be maintenance. Remember to utilize whatever water saving techniques you can and to try to grow without chemicals for the public’s safety.

I would encourage all of you to submit the club’s effort as a President’s Project. It is easy. Go to the website (www.gardenclub.org), fill in the form in the Project Plantings area, add the digital pictures, and send the edible project to me (arupiper@bright.net), or the other two leaders - containers (rerob@mac.com) or trees and shrubs (erw510@aol.com)! Our teams would really enjoy reviewing them and your club would receive a certificate from NGC. Happy growing.