The autumnal equinox really did mark the change of seasons this September, didn’t it?
We have crisp mornings and evenings, and enough warmth in the middle of the day to feel the sun on one’s back. So much to do!
Please go to our website, where you’ll find a plethora of events. My first draft was about the new password to the Members Area. (We apologize it arrived unannounced, if it caused you a couple of days of difficulty, but its update was long overdue.) My second draft was about all the incredible events, from Flower Show School (almost on us!), to next February’s “Gateway into Spring.” You should discover these events yourself at www.ctgardenclubs.org and register.
This bi-monthly newsletter covers such a broad time. The trees have yet to change, yet Thanksgiving will pass before the next one arrives.
This message needs must be about giving thanks, and not just one day a year. In very few months, this message will be another’s to write. So, I seize this September day to give thanks.
This past summer, I received a Certificate for forty years of membership in my garden club. (I call it the Old Bat Award…) For forty years, I have had the benefit of association with you and others, some, unfortunately, no longer with us.
We join clubs to learn and to share what we know across the wide weft and warp of our interests. Over forty years, I relearned a lot.
Now, we collect household hazardous waste annually. We bag invasive plants in black plastic, and know where to find exactly the list of natives for our zones and conditions. We no longer double dig, do we? We install rain gardens. We know more about helpful pollinators. We move away from Oasis foam in designs, slowly but determinedly.
Some of these things I learned through committees and speakers my club provided. Much I owe to the schools and speakers The Federation sponsors. All I owe to you, and I take this opportunity to thank you. I encourage you to do the same. Say, “Thank You,” early and often.
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Happy Thanksgiving,
Polly Brooks
President
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In Memoriam ~ Bronwyn (Ronnie) Schoelzel |
Hugh Schoelzel informed us he and their sons, Dylan and Tyson, were with Ronnie when she died peacefully, Monday, September 19, 2022, after an eight-week battle with metastatic cancer.
The Litchfield Garden Club presented Ronnie with a Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Lifetime Membership in 2013 in recognition of her innumerable contributions to her club and Federation. She joined the club in 1983, and served as its president from 1997-1999.
Ronnie’s Horticulture articles appeared ten times a year, from 2002 to 2006, when the CFNews appeared in our mailboxes. After she served as President of The Federation from 2011 to 2013, she chaired the Advisory Council, then the Nominating Committee.
An Accredited National Garden Clubs Master Judge, Ronnie received a rarely awarded 5 Star Certificate of Merit and Pin in May, 2017, for the successful achievement of Master Status in all four National Garden Club Schools.
In 2017, Ronnie was presented the highest award presented to an individual in our Federation, the Lillian M. Rathbun Award.
The accompanying letter stated, “Ronnie Schoelzel neither rests on her laurels nor squirrels them away. She shares her travels and horticultural expertise with Federation clubs, offers workshops to newcomers about how to Grow to Show horticulture for shows, and will be certain to have a floral arrangement if one is needed. This worker bee is a resource to all of us, and embodies the aims of every one of us.”
The Schoelzels will have a private family service.
Cherish your loved ones and all of nature.
Dance like nobody is watching, sing like no one is listening, and love like there is no tomorrow.
~
Do remember to forget anger, worry, and regret,
Love while you've got love to give,
Live while you've got life to live.
— Danish poet Piet Hein
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Registration deadline: October 16, 2022
(No registrations will be accepted or refunds given after deadline.)
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NEGC Annual Meeting • October 18-19 in Nashua, NH
The New Hampshire Federation of Garden Clubs is hosting the New England Garden Clubs, Inc., 6th Annual Meeting on October 18 – 19, 2022 (Tuesday and Wednesday) in Nashua at the Event Center/
Courtyard Marriott. We have two excellent presenters lined up to both entertain and educate you, Arabella Dane will be coordinating a fabulous photography exhibit, and we will all have the opportunity to reconnect with some of our garden club friends throughout New England that we have been missing. Come enjoy a few days in Southern New Hampshire amid the beautiful October foliage.
Photographers take note: Any photographer may enter photographs for the New England Garden Clubs Annual Meeting in Nashua. Details are at NEGC’s website.
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"Gateway to Spring" ~ the 41st Annual CT Flower Show! |
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An NGC Standard Flower Show
Thursday, February 23, Friday, 24 & Saturday, 25, 2023
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Sunday, February 26, 2023
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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CLUB TREASURERS: There has been a recent and important change to
IRS 990-N filing procedures. Read the details below.
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Treasury Notes
from FGCCT Treasurer Shirley Hall
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Important Change in 990-N Procedures
The yearly filing of the IRS Form 990-N or “e-postcard” has always been the responsibility of individual clubs, usually completed by the Club Treasurer but ultimately it’s the responsibility of the Club President. Your FGCCT Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer have spent much time and effort to educate and assist. Yet we have had clubs fail to file and lose their tax-exempt non-profit status. We’ve always said the online registration process took longer than the actual filing of the Form, and now there’s a new wrinkle.
We just found out that, as of August 1, 2022, the IRS “modernized the authentication platform.” This was done with no prior warning to us 990-N filers. To make matters worse, the new instructions, indicating that you could use the same sign in username and password you previously used, were misleading if not actually wrong.
The bottom line is that the IRS now requires that all filers create an account with an authentication website called ID.me. This is no simple procedure. We are quite sure many will find the process too time consuming and confusing, and the information required a bit over-the-top for a Garden Club volunteer.
The ID.me username and password are not transferable, so each time you change President or Treasurer someone new will have to sign up with ID.me. If you would like to view the ID.me website, the link is https://www.id.me. You will see they are also involved in filling prescriptions, discount merchandise sales, and access to Social Security accounts.
We are very concerned this new process will have an adverse effect on the number of clubs who successfully file, thus increasing the possibility of more clubs losing their non-profit status. We propose that the responsibility of filing the 990-N be assumed by the FGCCT Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. There are some details to be worked out before we put this plan in action.
This affects only the clubs that normally file the online 990-N and who have 501 (c)(3) status from The Federation. This would not affect clubs that currently file a longer form 990 or 990EZ or have their own non-profit status.
Any clubs that have attempted to file their 990-N, successfully or not, since August 1, 2022, are encouraged to contact FGCCT Assistant Treasurer John Davis at john.davis@ctgardenclubs.org or me at shirley.hall@ctgardenclubs.org (our new FGCCT email addresses). We will be in contact with individual clubs regarding the procedure.
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The Club Award of Honor - What Is It?
The annual Awards Meeting is upcoming on October 26 and each year the Club Award of Honor is presented at this meeting. It is a prestigious award which is presented every year to a club in each of the four club sizes: Small–1-29 members; Medium–30-59; Large–60-99; and Extra Large–100 and over.
Details about this award are pretty much unknown to clubs. Let me explain. The Award of Honor is conferred on a garden club that over a period of five years maintains a record of exceptional achievement in upholding the aims and purposes of The Federation. Clubs do not apply for this award. Club activities/
achievements throughout the year are recorded by the Chair of the Advisory Council and awards are presented to one club in each of the four club sizes. No club may receive this award in two consecutive years.
Be sure to attend this fun event at the Aqua Turf Club. Perhaps your club will receive this prestigious honor.
Arlene Field, Advisory Council Chair
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Awards
Mind the Deadlines…!
January 1 is the deadline for the following Public Relations Awards: Membership Awareness; Social Media/Website; Digital Media Presentations; Newsletters; Observance of National Garden Club Week. The time frame for these applications is January 1 to December 31, 2022. Contact Public Relations Chair Linda Kaplan at linda.kaplan@ctgardenclubs.org. Each nomination requires an FGCCT Award Application included with the email. Send an electronic copy to Linda and a copy to the Awards Chair at awards@ctgardenclubs.org. No applications will be accepted after January 1.
Updated Awards Manual Coming Soon
The Awards Manual has been updated and will be available soon on the Federation website under the Awards tab.
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FGCCT Schools
Flower Show School, Course 2 - October 12-14, 2022
Flower Show School, Course 2, will be offered from October 12-14 at the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby. Registration is open to any Garden Club member. NGC provides the educational opportunity through its Flower Show Schools (FSS) Program whereby its members may become Accredited Flower Show Judges or attend sessions merely to enrich their knowledge of horticulture, design, and flower show procedure.
The registration deadline is October 5, 2022.
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NGC 2023 Youth Contests: REMINDER!
National Garden Clubs sponsors four youth contests each year, all with January 2023 deadlines. The four contests, their themes and their deadline dates are
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Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster Contest: "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” and “Lend A Hand-Care For The Land” (deadline: January 21, 2023)
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Youth Poetry Contest: “Seeds, Trees and Bees…Oh My – Celebrating the Diversity of Nature" (deadline: January 15, 2023)
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Youth Sculpture Contest: “Encouraging Youth to Keep our Planet Green” (deadline: January 15, 2023)
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High School Distinguished Service Project Award (deadline: January 10, 2023)
Complete contest descriptions and rules as well as the Release for Publication and Website form are available under the Youth tab of the FGCCT website.
NOTE: Every youth contest entry must also include a completed “Release for Publication and Website” form filled out and signed by the child’s parent/guardian, then submitted to the sponsoring garden club, which will collect, review and submit all entries and forms to kandra.houston@ctgardenclubs.org, unless otherwise noted. No entry will be judged without a completed Release form.
—Kandra Houston, FGCCT Youth Chair
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And COMING later in 2023 ...
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July: Hudson Valley Getaway
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September: Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island
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Late October/Early November: South Africa Garden Tour with Safari Extension (Sold Out!)
Check the website for more information on all tours, including full brochures and current status.
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NGC's "Membership Mondays"
Did you know that NGC offers six types of grants to help clubs succeed in community projects? Join NGC's "Membership Mondays" on October 10 and November 8 as they explore each grant. These workshops will teach clubs how and when to apply, and how to make a grant application shine.
Part 1 - Sponsored Grants - Ames Tools and Espoma Products
October 10, 2022 • 2:00 pm (EDT)
Part 2 - NGC Grants - Natural Disaster, Native Plant & Wildflower, Youth Pollinator
November 8, 2022 • Time: 2:00 pm (EDT)
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The "Soil Water Deficit" (aka Drought)
Renee Marsh, FGCCT Horticulture Chair
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This is the worst drought I have ever experienced. It is so painful that I avoid looking at my plants. Still, out of the corner of my eye, I see them … wilting, desiccated, leaves curling and edged with brown. When even the weeds, like this tap rooted plantain (at right), are dying, you know you are in trouble. Pardon the lack of more pictures but dead plants are not particularly edifying.
Being on well water means I have to make hard choices. The rain barrels for the vegetable garden are often empty so I do triage with only the tomatoes getting small tastes of water. I put saucers of water out for the animals and insects. The deer can eat all the hosta they want if it helps. And loath as I am to continue this article as a gloomy lament, as gardeners we need to understand how drought stress impacts plants and what we can, and can’t, do about it.…
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Spotlight on Our FGCCT Affiliates:
Beardsley Zoo
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Beardsley Zoo Celebrates 100 Years!
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo celebrated its 100th anniversary this year and the party has been ongoing all year with special events like the Bird show with Falconer Brian Bradley highlighting raptors and other amazing birds. There was a birthday bash held in June, which included a bake off from local bakers and the placement of a time capsule in the Big Cow. The Big Cow also got a much-needed facelift. The party continues with the Lantern Festival in the fall, which is a Glow Wild event happening September to November. It is a “journey through a wonderland of illuminated larger-than-life lanterns inspired by our wild world.”
The history of the Beardsley Zoo began in 1878, when James Beardsley, a wealthy cattle dealer, donated over 100 acres to the City of Bridgeport. In 1884, the City contracted noted architect Frederick Olmstead, who was responsible for New York's Central Park, to create a design for Beardsley Park. In architect Olmstead's words, "The want of Bridgeport is a simple rural park." What Mr. Olmstead hadn't figured into his "simple rural park" was the fact that Bridgeport, Connecticut, was also home to a certain Mr. Phineas T. Barnum and his world-renowned circus. It was P.T. Barnum's habit to exercise his animals from time to time along the streets of Bridgeport, and so it was not unusual to find zebras or camels taking a stroll through Beardsley Park.
Perhaps it was with this inspiration that Bridgeport Parks Commissioner Wesley Hayes started a campaign in 1920 for a City Zoo to be founded within Beardsley Park.…
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Dragon in front of Greenhouse for our “Glow Wild “ event
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Walkway through our Butterfly Garden |
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Virtual Invasive Plant Symposium,
November 3, 2022
The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group's 2022 symposium Strategies for Managing Invasive Plants: Assess, Remove, Replace, and Restore takes the form of a full-day webcast, open to all; Thursday, November 3, 2022 (with recordings of sessions available to registered attendees post-symposium). Sessions include a variety of techniques for management of terrestrial and aquatic invasives, as well as restoration with native alternatives. CEU's for organizations and Pesticide Recertification Credits are available.
Registration $50 on or before October 7; $65 after Oct. 7; $25 Students.
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"Club Corner" is designed to be a place where clubs can showcase recently completed club achievements and activities. Visit "Club Corner" on the FGCCT website for more of the latest news from— and for—our member clubs! (Please note that this area is not for upcoming events. We encourage you to post those on the FGCCT Club Calendar.)
Send photos, along with a very brief writeup (200 words or less) and detailed photo captions, to CFNewsManager@ctgardenclubs.org to be considered for inclusion. Please ensure you have appropriate permissions for all photos. We reserve the right to edit copy and select photos for inclusion.
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FEATURED CLUB: "Bee-ing Thankful for Bees" at The Garden Club of Madison
Two queens…
25,000 workers…
Sunflower and Hyacinth bee “hotels”…
A retired oncology researcher and former teacher + Garden Club of Madison
On Easter Sunday, two backyard beekeepers (aka, Lewis Strauss and Deirdre Prisco) from Madison, Ct., met a truck coming back from a 34-hour roundtrip to Georgia and they picked up two 3-pound packages of Bauer Park’s newest residents: Honey bees!
This project happened in what is fondly called a Madison Minute (sorta like a New York Minute). Last year at the Bauer Harvest Festival, with hundreds of people happy about BEEing out with their families and friends — so happy after pandemic isolation and now on a gorgeous day enjoying face-painting, hay rides, checking out the community gardens and apple orchard, munching on burgers — some “bumping into” happened. Lewis and Deirdre bumped into their friend Elinor Griffith (of the Garden Club of Madison) who then bumped into Pippa Mannino (the Garden Club’s co-president) who all together bumped into Holly Johnson (on Bauer Park Advisory Committee).
AND the talk turned to bees: “Are there any hives here?"
“No,” was the short answer. “But it could be really nice.”
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Lewis Strauss, Philippa Mannino, Deirdre Prisco, and Elinor Griffith with beehives “Hyacinth” and “Sunflower." |
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Bauer Park’s “Nature Kids Club” meets the bees at the first educational bee talk.
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Garden Club of Madison Annual Luncheon (from L to R): Renée Allen (Publicity Chair), Phyllis Nolan (Member with a bee in her bonnet), Philippa Mannino (Co-President) |
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GC of Woodbridge Visits "Peony Heaven" at Cricket Hill
On May 24 several members of the Garden Club of Woodbridge made a field trip to Peony Heaven at Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston, CT. Cricket Hill Garden is a family-run, 7-acre landscape specializing in tree and herbaceous peonies. Fragrant peonies in a multitude of colors greeted members as they toured the gardens. Members learned that tree and herbaceous peonies are native to Eastern China and wild herbaceous peonies are found growing throughout the Mediterranean regions of Europe. These perennials are long-lasting and fairly easy to maintain. At the conclusion of the tour, we walked leisurely through the gardens, admiring the fruit trees and ornamental trees and shrubs that Cricket Hill Garden staff also cultivate. Prior to leaving, a number of members bought peony trees to plant in their home gardens.
The annual meeting of the Garden Club of Woodbridge was held in a greenhouse at Bethany Farm and Nursery, a wholesale and retail landscape nursery in Woodbridge, on June 14. Cathy Wick was elected the club’s new president. Joanne D’Angelo, outgoing president, was recognized for her tremendous leadership. After lunch members were given a tour of some of the thousands of plants, trees and shrub options grown at Bethany Farm and Nursery.
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GC of Old Greenwich was "Bursting" with Flowers!
On Sunday, September 18, the Garden Club of Old Greenwich created its first ever fresh flower “Flower Burst” installation at the Art on Sound Beach Avenue festival. Sponsored by the OG Merchants Association, the village was closed to vehicle traffic and over 30 artists showcased their original artwork. The Club contributed to the event by displaying their artist floral design talents by creating their first ever large scale floral design.
The display stood over 10 feet tall and took club volunteers 5 1/2 hours to assemble. The entire greening base was sourced from the yards of members, and most of the flowers used to create the burst were sourced from local Fairfield County farms. The seasonal blooms were in shades of yellow and apricot and featured chrysanthemums, zinnias, hydrangeas, snapdragons, and cockscomb. 95% of the materials used to create the Flower Burst were completely biodegradable or recyclable. 100% Natural Floral Foam™ called Agra Wool™, made from Basalt and a type of sucrose (cane or beet sugar) was used. The display was pollinator friendly & bees were feasting on the blooms all day. In preparation to design and create this large scale design, the club hosted a membership workshop that featured New York Botanical Garden instructor Nsombi Woodson, who shared valuable information on the construction of the support structure and floral selection. At the close of the Art on Sound Beach Avenue event, club volunteers disassembled their Flower Burst installation, and assembled hand tied bouquets that they gave away to the public.
The 69 members of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich are a busy group, tending to over 65 planters and 17 sidewalk beds, three seasons of the year. The Garden Club of Old Greenwich will celebrate their 100th Anniversary in 2024.
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From start to finish, with some happy pollinators enjoying the results! |
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Donations by Garden Clubs to FGCCT's Scholarship, Garden Therapy and World Gardening Funds |
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We thank the following Garden Clubs for their recent donations to the FGCCT Scholarship Fund.* For almost 40 years, the Federation has awarded scholarships to college and university students who major in Agronomy, Botany, City Planning, Conservation, Environmental Studies, Floriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Land Management, Landscape Design, Plant Pathology, or allied subjects. We welcome donations of any size. Our appeal is ongoing to give all of our clubs the opportunity to make a contribution in the amount of their choosing.
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Scholarship Donations since the last issue of CFNews |
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Fairfield Garden Club
Garden Club of Orange
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Garden Therapy Donations since the last issue of CFNews |
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World Gardening Donations since the last issue of CFNews |
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Please send all Scholarship Fund donation checks to the appropriate chair (see below). Make checks out to "FGCCT" with the appropriate Fund listed on the memo line.
*Please note that due to the deadline for articles and information for the CFNews, some donations may not be received and deposited in time to be included in the bi-monthly donation acknowledgement, but will be included in the next issue of our newsletter.
PLEASE MAIL CHECKS TO:
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For World Gardening & Garden Therapy:
Peggy Lajoie
12 Eastview Rd
Southington, CT 06489
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For FGCCT Scholarship Fund:
Deborah Osborne
25 Zoar Rd
Sandy Hook, CT 06482
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Tips to use online calendar and submitting a calendar event - click buttons below. |
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Don't Forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
FGCCT is on Facebook and Instagram and we love to post your news and photos! Please send upcoming events, club activities, civic projects, milestones, and hort tips. Include photos and a brief writeup of the news your club would like to share. The best format is text in an email with jpg photos attached. Take active photos showing members at work or showcasing beautiful gardens, flowers, and plants (please name the flower if it is a hort only photo). Let’s follow each other! Send submissions to social@ctgardenclubs.org
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PLEASE Don't "Unsubscribe"! |
FGCCT uses Constant Contact to distribute ALL information to Clubs and Affiliates.
Clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of ANY Constant Contact message from FGCCT, including this newsletter, will automatically unsubscribe you from ALL future messages.
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Deadline to submit articles/photos, ads and calendar events for the June/July 2022 issue of The Connecticut Federation News is September 10, 2022. Please submit to:
ARTICLES/PHOTOS
Marty Sherman
ADVERTISING
Barbara Romblad
PO Box 854, Branford, CT 06405
203.488.5528
CALENDAR
Ellie Tessmer
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Reminder from NGC: The National Gardener is now ONLINE (and free!)
The official publication of the National Garden Clubs, The National Gardener appears quarterly, and highlights articles of interest to environmentalists, gardeners, landscapers, floral designers, educators and nature photographers. Subscribe here.
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State, Regional &
National Events
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