May Newsletter

Verplanck Garden Club
Newsletter

May 2008

Next meeting: Tuesday, May 13th at 7:00 pm at the Manor House

Hostesses: Hanna Ekstroem, Evelyn Young & Carol Dickson
Note: Hostesses need to coordinate with each other desserts, creamer, and decorations for the table. Please arrive at 6:30 so you have plenty of time to set up before the meeting. Thanks!

Program: “The Future at Stony Kill”
Reba Laks, Director

VGC Blog: Get all the latest news and gardening tips at our new blog website. Go to http://vgcstonykill.blogspot.com/ from any Internet connected computer.

Program Updates: Karen Vitek will be taking on the responsibility of putting together programs for next year. If you have a suggestion please give it to her as soon as possible so she can contact the person(s) and get our schedule going for next year.

Annual Dinner and Dues: Diane Sedore will be collecting dues and money for our annual June dinner at the meeting. The Annual Dinner will be held on June 10th at 6:30 pm at Charlie Brown’s.

Mother’s Day Plant Sale: Some of you already received this information by email from Bonnie but I’ll include it here for our snail mail members and to refresh everyone’s memory:

Hello everyone,

Just want to touch base with all of you regarding the plant sale since it is just over a week away.

If you signed up to help in some way and can no longer make it, please let me know. Those of you who have already told me you cannot make it on Friday or Saturday do not need to call me again.

June Joyce and Gayle Whitefield will be at the pole barn around 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9 to clean off tables and sweep floors. Anyone who wants to join them is welcome. Those of you who signed up to help unload plants should be there at 6 p.m.

-I will be at the pole barn at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday so set up will begin at that time.

-Remember your baked goods. Dorrie Hansen offered to set up baked goods and make coffee. If you have any questions about what to bring, please contact Dorrie or me. I have the list of what members signed up to bring.

-Dorrie also signed up to help with the raffle, but if anyone else could help with that it would be much appreciated. Better to have two people sharing the task.

-We have plenty of bows

-Joyce Banner has been great in keeping everyone informed about the number of perennials that have been potted and the need for more. I think we should have a great variety for our customers. After some discussion with other members, I decided that home grown perennials will not be sold to members until 10 a.m. (Remember you can trade or purchase among yourselves prior to the sale.)

-Also, after much thought, I decided that members should still be able to purchase plants at regular price prior to, or during, the sale; but we will sell them after the sale at the wholesale cost, not half price. I am doing this keeping in mind that they are still a great price especially considering that you do not pay tax.

- Remember to pass the word to friends, family, other community groups, everyone! If any of you see the sale advertised, please note where you saw it and let me know. I received a newsletter from WCI Communities / Four Corners housing development in Hopewell Junction and the plant sale was listed as a May event so that was great!

- Remember to bring boxes. The flats that cases of beer and soda come in are great and local beverage distributors usually have a lot.

Please call me at 838-3854 or email me if you have any questions or suggestions.

I'm looking forward to a successful sale on what I hope will be a beautiful, warm, sunny day.

Bonnie Detweiler

Earth Day: Thanks to everyone for baking and selling baked goods down by the draft horse pull. Special thanks to Fred and Hanna for handing out trees to all who came!

Notes from April meeting: There was a discussion about what it means to be an active member and be entitled to the discount cards we receive for local nurseries and floral shops. You need to attend at least 5 meetings a year and participate in 2 events including working 2 hours a year in the gardens at the Manor House to be considered an active member. The discount cards are a thank you to members for volunteering their time.

Summer program: Stephanie Pratt will hostess the July meeting and June Joyce will hostess the August meeting.

Memorial Fund: Permission was given to Fred to purchase lumber for repairs of the raised beds. Flowers are also needed for the gazebo. Volunteers are needed to shop for a memorial bench with funds donated ($365)

Nominating Committee Report from Joyce Banner:
Slate of Officers:
President – Stephanie Pratt
Vice-president – Dorrie Hansen
Treasurer – Diane Sedore
Secretary – Barbara Marcello
Recording Secretary – Karen Vitek

Yearbook – Karen Vitek
Herb Garden – Joyce Banner and Heather Bonjolo
Historian – June Joyce
Photographer – Bonnie Detweiller
Programs – Karen Vitek
Education & Community Liason – Joyce Banner
Earth Day – Fred & Hanna Ekstroem
Draft Horse Day – Gail Whitefield
Special Needs Garden – Fred & Hanna Ekstroem
Peony Memorial Garden – Joyce Banner & Heather Bonjolo

We need people for: Mother’s Day Plant Sale, Harvest Fest, Hospitality, Wildflower Loop, & Landscape Chair

Our summer camper had to bow out. We will be donating the money to the scholarship fund in memory of Scott Ruit.

A quote especially for May~

“Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom."
Margaret Elizabeth Sangster