FALL 2024 VOLUME XI ISSUE VII | |
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Nancy's Note
“By all these lovely tokens September days are here. With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.” Helen Hunt Jackson
Michigan was certainly the right place to be this summer! Very few days in the 90s and the rain came just when we needed it!
Welcome to “Buds & Buddies” another new club in District 2A!
Welcome to new MGC Board of Directors member Kathy Miller MGC Scholarship Chair. We also filled some key state leadership positions; Michele Armstrong State Gardening School Chair, Beth Markowski State Environmental School Chair and Pat Hanson and Karla Labby MGC Yearbook Co-Chairs! Thank you for volunteering your time to support our scholarship program, schools and yearbook awards!
A thank you to the District Directors, their teams and the Host clubs who worked during the summer on the District Fall Meetings, the local Flower Show and Landscape Design School Committees headed by Rita Crawley and Joan Lenard respectively and to Trish Payne our Blue & Gold Star Chair who not only attended dedications this summer but also completed a two year audit of all of our markers around the state updating our website, documentation and dedication guidance.
Please help your district win the MGC Homegrown National Park Challenge “Get On the Map” by adding your garden/container, your clubs’ native gardens, your neighbors’ gardens and even the local nature centers or preserves in your area. Sue Bailey our HNP Advisor has created a Plan of Action so “Let’s Move Michigan Up”!
Our 2024 District Fall Meetings are underway; one of the best ways to “Grow, Share and Connect” with each other!
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Member Meetings are being scheduled for January-April 2025. They will again be on Monday. The final schedule has been sent to Club Presidents and will also be sent to members via Constant Contact.
Happy to be in Michigan: where the autumn colors paint a picture of pure magic!
Enjoy!
Nancy
Nancy J. Ryan, MGC President, nancyjryan@migardenclubs.org
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"The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies." - Gertrude Jekyll | |
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The MGC, Inc. Mission
is to provide leadership, education, resources, and network opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral and landscape design, civic, and environmental responsibility.
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September 2024
5 Board of Directors 10AM-12PM ZOOM
12 D5 Fall Meeting 9AM-3PM Mackinac City
17 D4 President Mtg 2-3:30 PM ZOOM
19 NGC Board of Directors Mtg Hybrid
19-21 Flower Show Kalamazoo
21 Meridian GC Yesteryear Flower Show
25-26 NGC Landscape Design School 2
26 D1 Fall Meeting 10:30 AM-2:30 PM Detroit
27 D2A Fall Meeting 8:30 AM-3 PM Milan
October 2024
2 D6 Fall Meeting 9:30AM - 3 PM Midland
7 D4 Fall Meeting 9 AM-3:30 PM Muskegon
8 D5 President Meeting 10-11AM ZOOM
10-12 NGC Flower Show School 3
11-13 Bulb and Tool Sale Charlevoix GC
17-19 NGC Central Region Convention Illinois
22 D2B Fall Meeting 8 AM-5 PM Mason
24 D3B Fall Meeting 11AM-3PM St Joseph
28 D6 President Meeting 12-1:00PM ZOOM
November 2024
7 Board of Directors 10AM-12PM ZOOM
19 D5 President Mtg 10-11 AM ZOOM
19 D4 President Mtg 2-3:30 PM ZOOM
25 D6 President Mtg 12:00-1:00PM ZOOM
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Connecting Our Finances with Our Mission
Rosemary (Bunny) LaDuke the MGC Treasurer, has worked with five former MGC Presidents and is the person most responsible for helping MGC strengthen its financial position and processes over the past eight years. At the annual conference Bunny provided the MGC financial report which was also included in the 2023-2024 MGC Annual Report. However, she shared some additional thoughts which are below.
"So now that you have heard that MGC is financially secure, I would like to address why it should matter to all of us that MGC is in good financial shape and able to carry out its important mission. How do we connect our finances to our mission?
There are times when we all wonder whether the volunteer work and effort, we put into this mission is worth it, whether it is planting a new Blue or Gold Star memorial garden, weeding a community garden, managing a project with youth, attending an instructional course, or time spent on a computer with forms or writing a report. Life is short, and we need to know that our hours are well spent on behalf of our families, our communities, and ourselves. Read more
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Come join fellow MGC Club members at the most incredible annual Flower Show in the US and visit three other spectacular gardens along the way!
Pick-up Locations: Gladwin, Coleman, Bridgeport, & Flint
Contact JAG Motorcoach for more details of trip at 989-423-0524 ex 1 or tours@jagmotorcoach.comRoom rates per person:
Single: $1,112 Double: $819 Triple: $738 Quadruple: $695
Organizer: Deb Decker
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MGC is happy to welcome three new clubs into District 1, Wyandotte Garden Club, Grosse Pointe, Park, Garden Club, and The Helm Garden Club.
The wonders of Water and Nature is the topic of our fall district one conference with three fantastic speakers. It will be held at the historic and beautiful Detroit yacht club on Belle Isle September 26 with an optional tour of the garden after lunch with Richard Thomas. I hope to see you there.
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District 2A would like to welcome Bedford Flower and Garden Club to Michigan Garden Clubs. They held an Evening Tea Party on May 1 at the Bedford Branch Library with a hat contest.
On July 13 they hosted a Garden Walk that included many beautiful gardens which were shared with community members. They landscaped a “Winnie the Pooh” garden
Read more...
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District 2B submitted and paid for all club rosters by September 1. The Steering Committee made quick work of the Facebook and website updates and is currently waiting for Presidents to update their listing on the District 2B website.
Several garden clubs organized summer
Read more...
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District 3A has a great deal of energy and ideas. Most of the big projects are the fall district meeting, the flower show in Kalamazoo and planning organization work going into the annual Kalamazoo Council Green sale.
District 3A fall meeting will be held at En Gedi campgrounds in Leonidas. Colon Garden Club has Read more...
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District 4 has had a very busy summer with 6 clubs hosting Plant Sales,3 clubs hosting Flower Shows,5 clubs hosting Garden Walks, one club making “Cups of Cheer” for delivery to local nursing facilities, 2 clubs participating in community Art Festivals, one of which sponsored a Horticulture Specialty Flower Show at the local Farmer’s Market, and a Blue Star Rededication along with a Gold Star Marker Installation. Read more...
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District 5 Fall meeting 2025 is already in the planning stages.
A full NGC Flower Show will be a part of the day. Plan to attend this event in Manistee in September 2025.
We held a planning day in Onekama in June where Portage Lake, Spirit of the Woods and Periwinkle Garden Clubs joined together to brainstorm the flower show portion. Read more...
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The Little Garden Club of Midland is hosting the District 6 Fall Conference "Public Gardening" on October 2nd at the Midland Country Club. The presenters include:
Stephanie Richardson, Parks Lead Supervisor & Horticulturist for the city of Midland will be speaking to us about her job, Planting the City of Midland.
Elly Maxwell, Entomologist at Dow Gardens will be giving a delightful presentation, as only Elly can, on Fun Backyard Insects.
Read more...
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Seedums GC is Blooming!
Submitted by Emilie Stawiarski
Club President
For over 10 years in late July, Seedums Garden Club in Cheboygan has been blooming homes, businesses, community spaces and more. Their Cheboygan-In-Bloom program was established
to give citizens recognition for beautifying their streetscape with blooming gardens, hanging plants, lovely bushes, ornamental grasses or landscaped shrubbery.
The co-chairs, Sheila Melching and Carol Klun, involve all new club members so they get acquainted with each other and the community at large. Read more...
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Touch the Earth Garden Club
Civic Beautification
First Place Award
Submitted by Debbie Glasstetter, Club President
MGC District 6 Touch the Earth Garden Club received the Civic Beautification First Place Award at the MGC annual meeting: Smitten by the Mitten, Shore to Shore, June 10-11, 2024. Kathy Sauber, D6 Director presented the award to Debbie Glasstetter, president of Touch the Earth Garden Club.
Touch the Earth Garden Club joined MGC with twelve members in 1991 and currently has fifty-six members. Civic beautification is at the center of the club's objectives.
Read more...
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Saline Stone and Thistle Garden Club!
Congratulations to Best Practice Award Winner
Saline Stone & Thistle submitted two applications, both of which received the President’s Award -one in July (Developing Community Partnerships) and the second in August (Create a Continuing Increase in Membership).
Developing Ongoing Community Partnerships
In July Co-President Nancy McNamara submitted Flower Angels, an ongoing project, building relationships within the community. Starting in 2022 using flowers from members’ gardens the group met and provided bouquets to the SASS (Saline Social Services). The project is now supported by the local Trader Joes and the number of bouquets and organizations benefiting has grown considerably starting with 100 bouquets in 2022 to 600 in 2023 and 2024 will be more. Read more...
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Life Achievement Awards Update | |
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Life Achievement Award Recipients Life Achievement Awards (LAAs) honor club members or other individuals for outstanding service to a club, district or state organization. The $105 cost of a LAA includes a pin, a certificate and a congratulatory letter and supplements the Scholarships investment fund. MGC currently budgets annually to offer scholarships to all 15 public universities for studies in gardening, horticulture, landscaping and environment-related fields.
To request the Award, go to migardenclubs.org, click “Member Resources” and the “Awards” menu. Download the CURRENT request form. The questions are designed to ensure the recipient is recognized for a variety of contributions and accomplishments. Please allow 6 weeks for the request to be processed and the LAA packet to be mailed. For assistance in obtaining an MGC LAA or a National Life Membership, please contact me at vafroehlich@comcast.net.
Congratulations to these individuals (in alphabetical order) who recently received Life Achievement Awards:
Go to Read more... for recipients.
Virginia Froehlich, Life Achievement Award Chair
vafroehlich@comcast.net
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Spotlight on Achievers
Because Jessica Kohli (left) and Catherine Brennan (right) both have strong leadership and communication skills, they were able to partner together as co-presidents of the Saline Stone and Thistle Garden Club. Their technological and organizational skills were invaluable in keeping the group on track, especially during the COVID pandemic when Zoom was used for meetings. The Club membership not only remained steady but increased each year, even though the meetings were not in-person until January 2023.
Jessica joined the Club in 2019 and, despite working full-time and raising a young family, she was one of the chairpersons who planned, planted and maintained the Saline District Library Garden. Catherine joined the Club in 2015 and has served in many capacities and chairmanships, in addition to spearheading the research for the Club to obtain a 501c3 status.
In recognition of all their accomplishments and contributions toward the betterment of the Club and the community, the Saline Stone and Thistle Garden Club was pleased to present them both with a Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc., Life Member Achievement Award.
Virginia Froehlich, Life Achievement Award Chair
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Recently Awarded...
Congratulations!
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At the September 5, 2024 Board of Directors meeting the following (first ever) digital awards were presented (see below). Each award was then sent to the individual member, their Club President and District Director. All were encouraged to share this through their various communication channels -website, Facebook page, club newsletter or email. Please join the board in thanking these members for their contributions to MGC! | |
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You can be a Superhero for Native Plants!
As MGC members, we have been to Gardening, Landscape Design and Environmental schools to enhance our skills. Now is the time to leverage your incredible knowledge to bring native plants into our gardens!
While prairie style gardens are wonderful, they may not work in every yard, so we need to utilize our gardening skills to show how to add natives into our designs. A new website called Prairie Up has a wealth of information about native plantings. While it shows prairie style plantings, it also talks about repeating masses and drifts, adding paths and lawn borders, and utilizing natives that are 1-2’ tall (or shorter near sidewalks!), all elements of good garden design. We can even include natives in formal garden designs. By showing off our great native gardens, we show beginning gardeners and neighbors how to include natives in their yards. Read more...
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Gardening With Purpose Shout Out!
Thank you to the following Clubs for their fresh produce donations:
Charlevoix Area Garden Club 40 pounds
Taylor Garden Club 505 pounds
Williamston Red Cedar 400+ pounds
Elk Rapids Garden Club 5999 pounds!
At the Fall District Meetings, the Gardening with Purpose Rep will pass around a clipboard for members and clubs to record their donations (produce or non-perishables) to local food banks in 2024. They will then submit the information to NGC’s Feed America Project!
Thank you for helping to fight food insecurity in Michigan while also helping the environment by reducing the methane gas produced by composting excess produce!
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This article is courtesy of Saline Stone & Thistle Fall Newsletter Mary Pulick Editor
Fall Yard and Garden Cleanup Tips
Michigan State University Extension
General Garden Tips
*Before you begin fall cleanup, evaluate your garden and take notes to help plan for next year. A smartphone, notes app and camera are tools at your fingertips that make it easy to keep records. Note which plants did especially well and which ones you don’t want to grow again. Note favorite varieties for flavor, disease resistance and performance. Take pictures of the nursery tags of your favorite plants or plant combinations that you would like to recreate. Note location of insects, dis- eases and weed problems to get a jump on them for next year.
*Be considerate of overwintering pollinators. Bumble bees, butterflies and other wild pollinators might be sheltering under leaves or attached to woody plant debris in your yard and garden. Keep an eye out for these insects during fall cleanup and consider leaving some habitats undisturbed un- til spring when they emerge naturally.
*If you haven’t brought in your houseplants, do so now. Check stems, the undersides of leaves and the outsides of pots for insects and other pests that may thrive inside. Wash off any pests with a hose or treat for pests before bringing pots inside. If they are joining other plants inside, you may want to quarantine these plants for a couple of weeks to ensure they are not harboring any pests. Read more
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The MGC Marketplace is Open
MGC offers merchandise for sale online to promote MGC projects. Payment is through the secure MGC PayPal account.
SEE OUR MERCHANDISE HERE!
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NEW! Michigan Garden Club Lapel Pin
This beautiful Michigan Garden Club pin illustrates the new MGC logo with its “state of Michigan, waters, and apple bloom”. Awarding the MGC Logo Lapel pin to new members extends a welcome from your club and shows recognition of your club’s affiliation with Michigan Garden Club. Wear it proudly to garden functions to signify a commitment to your club, district and state organization. Available at the end of September!
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MGC Scholarship Update
As the new MGC Scholarship Chair, I’m excited to assume this role. I am learning the process of administrating the scholarship program for MGC. Karin Maupin, previous chair, has been guiding me through the steps. She is a great teacher.
The MGC scholarships awarded to students studying in the many fields identified as candidates for the award have been superb. MGC is proud to help these students achieve their goals by contributing financial support.
As I get to know the garden club members who act as agents with the 15 public universities in Michigan, I am impressed at how well this process works. The agents are invaluable to MGC as they interact with the universities. And without the support of all of the garden clubs associated with MGC, the Scholarship Awards would not be possible. Thanks to all the garden clubs who continue to include MGC Scholarship in their budget. It’s so important to support students who goals mirror objectives of garden clubs. I am pleased to have been asked to lead the Scholarship Committee and will do my best to continue the strong program that it is.
Kathy Miller MGC Scholarship Chair, Kent Garden Club
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MGC Charitable Donation Process
In February 2024, the MGC Board approved the MGC Charitable Donation Process to make donations to other mission similar 5013c organizations. A budget of $8,000 was approved for the fiscal year to support this at the state level. At our district level six of our districts have budgeted amounts for donations from their district reserve account.
This process will be led by Carol McGregor 2nd VP Civic Affairs and Nancy Smith 4th VP Gardening and Conservation. The Charitable Donation Application Form is available on the website in the Administrative Area. For the corporate state level donations MGC members should contact either Carol (cmcgregor@migardenclubs.org) or Nancy Smith (smithnan88@gmail.com).
The District Team will work with Club Presidents to identify potential opportunities within the district and complete the application. This will then be forwarded to Carol or Nancy.
The MGC Board of Directors will approve all donations as MGC, including the districts, is all one 501c3 organization. This is our first year so we expect there will be questions and opportunities to improve for the future.
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Article Submission Guidelines
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Thank you! Newsletter Editorial Team - Carol Lauffer, Terry Such, and Nancy Ryan
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