PRESIDENT'S LETTER FOR MARCH 2024
Hello Garden Club Members,
Membership Dues for the 2024-2025 Membership year are due. Dues paid since January 1 will go toward the 2024-25 membership year.
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We are working on our Mother’s Day plant Sale, which is our biggest fund-raising event of the year. We are lining up several vendors. The community gardens will sell herbs and vegetable seedlings. We will have a pretty pot floral arrangement table. We are accepting jewelry for our jewelry table. We will have a table to sell gloves and tools. Some of the donated books will be sold also. If you would like to make an additional time or money donation to the club, please do. There will be a raffle of items. And Plants.. Plants.. Plants!!!
This is the time to start preparing your plants for the Mother's Day Plant Sale. The club hasn’t been able to sell common aloe or airplane plants and members should not bring them to sell
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Our February’s Membership meeting was informative and educational. The board made their reports and members discussed their ideas on the issues. The first speaker was Linda DiGloria from Glory Bee Farms. She told us about beekeeping, had honey for members to buy, and read from her book. The second speaker was Gabrielle Fontaine, Co-president of the Clearwater Community Gardens. She talked about the Gardens operations and plots that are available. The membership approved $400 for the repair of the lighting in the building. The raffles were fun and creative. If you have any baskets or other garden related items that you wish to donate for future raffles, please contact Linda Myers.
Our January Keep Pinellas Beautiful clean up event made good progress. The floors were cleaned and the Seminole Street entrance was painted. Some plants were planted in the Tropical Gardens and we cleaned up all the gardens.
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CHANGES TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The nominating committee discussed a number of changes to the Executive Committee which would align our club with the direction that the Florida Federation Garden Clubs are taking. Here are the changes to the Executive Committee aka the Board to 5 elected officers
1) There will only be a President and Vice President, working together as co-presidents. The 2nd Vice President position would be eliminated.
2) The Corresponding Secretary is removed from the board and becomes an appointed officer
3) Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Recording Secretary remain unchanged
4) Remove Directors
5) Increased focus of co-presidents to appoint officers and chairs of the Standing committees.
The by-laws have been re-written to reflect these changes and will be presented to the membership.
MARCH CLUBHOUSE AND GARDENING EVENTS:
Saturday, March 2nd from 11am to 1pm –Speckle Pot painting and Propagation and seed starting classes. James will be showing us his technique for making Speckle painted pots. We will be out on the back patio. Extras will be made at the plant sale! Gabreille will be showing members her techniques for propagating plants and starting seedlings. Bring your cuttings, small pots or trays and seeds! Soil mixture will be provided!
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Saturday, March 9th from 9 to noon –Keep Pinellas Beautiful clean up event. We will focus on cleaning up plants and turning the compost pile in Mystery Garden, and cleaning up the terrazzo floors inside the clubhouse.
Saturday, March 16th from 9:30 to 10:45am – Executive Board Meeting. We will discuss our by-laws, approve nominations for next year’s executive board and vacant positions, details of upcoming events, and other ongoing concerns. We are considering changing the date and time of the board meetings. All members are welcome.
Saturday, March 16th from 11am to 1:00pm – Membership meeting/By-laws revisions/Craft Bling Craft Workshop. We will discuss the changes in the by-laws. We will announce the nominations for the 2024-25 membership year. This month's program Linda Myers has arranged the crafts event at our clubhouse. She will show us how to make beaded bling decorations for your plants. The Club is asking for a small donation toward the supplies. Extras will be made at the plant sale!
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April 10th – 12th - FFGC 97th Convention and Centennial Celebration at the Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk—Registration is open.
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Thursday May 9th – FFGC District 8 Spring meeting at the Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port. The event is hosted by the Lemon Bay Garden Club. Save the date!
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I hope to see you all at the Clubhouse & Community Gardens!
Paul Keleti,
President, Clearwater Garden Club
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The Clearwater Garden Club
IS A proud member of the
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs
Beautifying Florida through education, mentoring, and activism since 1924
MISSION
"When I looked at those flowers I couldn't help but feel that they brought heaven nearer and made God so real." --Helen Steiner Rice
PROJECTS
Let us assist and encourage your neighborhood or school in developing a Community Garden. Learn about the charitable causes we support, or get involved using your interests and talents.
HAPPENINGS