The Executive Board showing off the new shirts with club logo from left- Linda Ryan, Carolyn Schwebel, Juanita Pearson, LGCF President Jeanette Gatzman, Sylvia Dileo, Phyllis diBenedetto, Peggy Dunn, Karen Nelson, District VI Director Kyle Martin, Sue Parrill, kneeling Mary Thornhill and Linda Broussard
We're back again.....the Hammond Garden Club that is! After a short two month hiatus the ladies of the HGC are at it again. We began our new year last week with the President's Tea held at the Hammond Council Chambers in beautiful downtown Hammond. Mother Nature was good to us and held off the terrible weather that has inundated all of Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes. God bless all of those that have withstood her wrath not only this past week but many that were just recuperating from the March flood and some that have never flooded before.
Our President, Carolyn Schwebel that is beginning her second two year term, (we just couldn't let her go), opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and then called on our new Chaplain Mary Thornhill to lead us in an opening prayer.
Carolyn then called on all members that had brought a guest, and there were many, that want to become part of the Hammond Garden Club. All were given applications and will be voted on at our next meeting.
Other VIP guests that she introduced were Jeanette Gatzman President of the LA Garden Club Federation, Kyle Martin our District VI Director and Willie Allen former District VI Director. Carolyn presented them each with a gift in appreciation for the help given herwhenever she calls or emails for information.
After the guests were given accolades for attending Carolyn began by handing out some gifts of recognition for perfect attendance and also awarded her former Executive Board for their special efforts in assisting her in her position as president. She then suggested that our VIP guests should start the buffet line of delicious edibles that was supplied by the Executive Board while she would tell us about all the special happenings that are our future coming attractions in the HGC's new year.
When everyone had gotten their plates Carolyn explained why all of the Executive Board was wearing those lovely baby blue shirts with the fantastic pink azalea patch on the left front. We had decided at the last meeting in May that we should all get matching shirts to wear when we would be attending functions together. During the summer when the Executive Board met we chose the color and the logo which is our club's flower for the patch and also has the club's name and established date on it. Everyone seemed to love them and will go to Connie's Impressions to be fitted. Carolyn then called on Juanita Pearson who had all the particulars for the shirts...sizes, prices, etc.
She then called on Karen Nelson, Vice President and creator of our wonderful year books. Karen told of choosing the cover which normally takes some time to get the right theme for each year. But as she explained it was the year of our 10th win in the Cleanest City Contest and part of the points we receive in winning comes from the scrapbook art work which is created by Phyllis Mire our "artiste in residence". Karen took photos of the scrapbook cover and used it to be the cover front and back for this year's yearbook. "It was and easy choice this year", she said.
Carolyn then called on me since I have been scouting for an area to install our Blue Star Highway Memorial Marker. It must be near a state highway according to the LGCF regulations. With the help of Mayor Panepinto and the City of Hammond we have received the marker and after looking at many spaces the best sight where it will be seen the most is at the crossroads of two highways, 190 and 51, placed in front of the Downtown Development District office at that corner where the highways cross. It will also be passed by and hopefully read, by all the sidewalk foot traffic. The marker is in memory and in honor of all veterans, a civic contribution we like to encourage in any way we can. It will be installed with ceremony on Veteran's Day November 11.
Linda Ryan was called on next to explain about our yearly fundraiser. This year it will be a fish fry Friday October 14 furnished by Bueie's Magnolia Fundraising and tickets will be $8.00. Everyone reading this please get in touch with your favorite garden club member and purchase your ticket (or call me).....hopefully they will be in short supply! It is our way of providing a monetary scholarship for a Southeastern LA University student during the spring/fall semesters.
There are many more continuing club projects for civic beautification we will try to accomplish such as Arbor Day, Link Award, Cleanest City Contest, Christmas Decorating and Garden of the Month. We hope that all members will be excellent participants at all of these projects. Our president shared all this information with the new prospective members alluding to the fact that this is part of being a good garden club member along with learning all that we can about the care of gardens, arranging flowers and being part of good stewards for God's creations.
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI Garden Club Federation and the Deep South Region of the National Garden Clubs doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability.
God Bless America!
by Linda Broussard is a member of the Hammond Garden Club