August 10, 2021
Greetings!
Thank you for serving as president of your garden club.
And thank you for submitting your club survey. I’ve loved reading about each unique club and sharing the findings with our zone leaders — here’s a sneak peek of our national analysis!
Your leadership will be more important in the coming year than ever before, since staying engaged with your club members will be vital to your success in the current virtual reality. We at the GCA are here to help you, and we've listened to your feedback. The virtual conferences were a hit, and this year we look forward to once again offering them throughout the year. We want to connect with you and your members, and we hope that you will appreciate these exceptional opportunities to learn from and to engage with club members from around the country.
With CDC and state-by-state restrictions being lifted, we are also hopeful that we will be able to resume in-person meetings when safely possible. As you know, each club is autonomous; you will make the best decisions based on your own state and local circumstances. The GCA, as an umbrella organization, remains in a “holding pattern” on meeting and event plans, and you can read details about when we anticipate a return to in-person events and how we are approaching planning safe in-person events in the following resources: 2021-22 Events & Meetings Schedule and Format, and Planning Safe In-Person Events & Meetings.
For over 100 years, The Garden Club of America has been a preeminent leader in the fields of horticulture, conservation, the creative arts, historic preservation, and environmental protection. You are part of this remarkable history. And together this year, we will forge ahead and make unique and lasting contributions to our shared legacy.
Keep your eyes peeled for a digital “save the date” to be sent to all GCA club members at the end of the summer. It will announce the dates for our full season of national conferences. These will be open to you and your club members virtually, for free, and with in-person opportunities as well. Plus, the Virtual Meetings Working Group will release tutorials with ideas for how to hold watch parties where club members can enjoy virtual conferences together.
Below is your President's Kit. In this bundle you will find materials crafted to support you in your work, and learn about the many benefits and resources that the GCA offers. I hope that you will take advantage of all of them. All of this and much more can also be found on the Club Leadership landing page —
your home base on the GCA website.
