January 8, 2020 Meeting
Here's hoping everyones over all the holidays and ready to start the New Year with a bang! I'm sure you have all written a long page of the new resolutions for this year and hopefully we can all do a better job of keeping them longer than the first couple of weeks. Mine always seem to start with trying to lose weight and that only begins after I have devoured all the sweets from the holidays since I wouldn't want them to go to waste! So by the time you see this column I will hopefully have begun the diet and maybe even an exercise program!
Our meeting began with a prayer from Ann Simmons in the absence of Paulette Hebert our Chaplain and I mention this because we were without many members because of illness either themselves or a family member of which they are the caretaker. It is also the reason there are some reports missing like the Garden of the Month and the Treasurer's report and hopefully all this information will be forthcoming next month.
But let's get down to the business of the Hammond Garden Club's meeting this month which was held at the Hammond City Council Chambers. Our speaker was Megan Ross Manning daughter of member Linda Ross and Director of Organization Development with Ross & Wallace Paper Products. Megan's program, told also with a slide show, was to give us the pros and cons of paper vs plastic not only for putting our groceries in but disposing of the trash and garbage we create in both instances.
It was also about recycling and what to do if we no longer have the trucks that pick up recyclables. We were told about how the recycle machinery was often broken down because of the careless way people put the wrong kind of plastic, styrofoam or cans that still had food in them into the recycle garbage containers. There was a very sad section about the plastics and empty soda cans that people toss into the ocean and other waterways in unbelievable amounts that cause harm to the marine life and clutter the beaches and ocean bottoms. It was a very informative program and there were many questions from the members after her talk.
Marilyn's Catering was there once again serving us a delicious lasagna bubbling in her red sauce, full of cheese and ground meat, sweet golden and buttery corn, mixed green salad and crunchy garlic bread. And of course the piece de resistance...cloud soft bread pudding covered with a lemony sauce...mmm fit for the ladies of any garden club!
Our President Mary Thornhill then called on member Margaret Hawkins who introduced her guest Susan Lehr. She then asked for a report for our first Link Award winner from Linda Ross who announced it has gone to the Si Señor Restaurant where the Adobe Mexican Restaurant used to be.
Mary then called on Linda Ryan for information on the bus trip to Bellingrath Gardens in April. Linda asked for a show of hands for the members that would be riding the bus because a group of ladies in a club that Ann Simmons belongs to wanted to come also. Linda said she thought it would be possible and that word has been given to the other garden clubs but so far she has nothing definite. When I spoke to her she asked me to put her number in this column and if anyone wanted to come to please call her at (985) 386-5616.
As I said at the beginning of the column this is a short one because of the absence of many members and we'll take all the prayers you can send our way for better health for all in the new year. And in closing we want to wish everyone a very Happy and Blessed New Year.....Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath, smile, and START AGAIN! An old Chinese Proverb is "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now"! So get planting!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. 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 Hammond and God Bless America!
by Linda Broussard
she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club
Here's hoping everyones over all the holidays and ready to start the New Year with a bang! I'm sure you have all written a long page of the new resolutions for this year and hopefully we can all do a better job of keeping them longer than the first couple of weeks. Mine always seem to start with trying to lose weight and that only begins after I have devoured all the sweets from the holidays since I wouldn't want them to go to waste! So by the time you see this column I will hopefully have begun the diet and maybe even an exercise program!
Our meeting began with a prayer from Ann Simmons in the absence of Paulette Hebert our Chaplain and I mention this because we were without many members because of illness either themselves or a family member of which they are the caretaker. It is also the reason there are some reports missing like the Garden of the Month and the Treasurer's report and hopefully all this information will be forthcoming next month.
But let's get down to the business of the Hammond Garden Club's meeting this month which was held at the Hammond City Council Chambers. Our speaker was Megan Ross Manning daughter of member Linda Ross and Director of Organization Development with Ross & Wallace Paper Products. Megan's program, told also with a slide show, was to give us the pros and cons of paper vs plastic not only for putting our groceries in but disposing of the trash and garbage we create in both instances.
It was also about recycling and what to do if we no longer have the trucks that pick up recyclables. We were told about how the recycle machinery was often broken down because of the careless way people put the wrong kind of plastic, styrofoam or cans that still had food in them into the recycle garbage containers. There was a very sad section about the plastics and empty soda cans that people toss into the ocean and other waterways in unbelievable amounts that cause harm to the marine life and clutter the beaches and ocean bottoms. It was a very informative program and there were many questions from the members after her talk.
Marilyn's Catering was there once again serving us a delicious lasagna bubbling in her red sauce, full of cheese and ground meat, sweet golden and buttery corn, mixed green salad and crunchy garlic bread. And of course the piece de resistance...cloud soft bread pudding covered with a lemony sauce...mmm fit for the ladies of any garden club!
Our President Mary Thornhill then called on member Margaret Hawkins who introduced her guest Susan Lehr. She then asked for a report for our first Link Award winner from Linda Ross who announced it has gone to the Si Señor Restaurant where the Adobe Mexican Restaurant used to be.
Mary then called on Linda Ryan for information on the bus trip to Bellingrath Gardens in April. Linda asked for a show of hands for the members that would be riding the bus because a group of ladies in a club that Ann Simmons belongs to wanted to come also. Linda said she thought it would be possible and that word has been given to the other garden clubs but so far she has nothing definite. When I spoke to her she asked me to put her number in this column and if anyone wanted to come to please call her at (985) 386-5616.
As I said at the beginning of the column this is a short one because of the absence of many members and we'll take all the prayers you can send our way for better health for all in the new year. And in closing we want to wish everyone a very Happy and Blessed New Year.....Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath, smile, and START AGAIN! An old Chinese Proverb is "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now"! So get planting!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI, Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. and the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. 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 Hammond and God Bless America!
by Linda Broussard
she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club