The Summer 2023 Camellia Connection

The Camellia Connection

Summer 2023

GREETINGS FROM YOUR DIRECTOR

"Uniting Through Love of Planting"

Well we are off! I’m looking forward to the next two years as your director. We have put together a great board and have lots of great things planned. Please don’t hesitate to let me know of any ways I can serve you better. I hope to meet all of you at some point during my term. My Co-Director, Melodie Smith, and I would love to attend one of your meetings. Please let us know when a good time would be for us to come.

During my term as director, I would like to emphasize civic improvement. If your club participates in any projects regarding civic improvement, please share them with us. You can send pictures of your club's projects to Lindsay Day to be included in the next newsletter. Our district page with contact information is located here: Camellia District Website.

Another focus area I feel is important is our youth programs. We really need to promote all the programs offered by the Garden Clubs of Georgia as well as things you do at the local level. I would like to hear from our district's clubs about your involvement with youth projects. My friend Penny Daniels will be the chairman for all youth programs. She will be connecting with you soon to share some of her great ideas for promoting gardening with our youth.

Co-Director, Melodie Smith, has some fabulous ideas about increasing our membership. She will be very active in sharing ideas with you on how to grow your garden club. We need to entice young, creative and energetic new members in the coming months, so talk it up!

Please join us at our upcoming board meeting and don't miss our Annual District meeting which is always held in October. These meetings are a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends. I have already made so many new friends during my short time as Director. Our next board meeting will be held in my hometown of Thomasville on August 8th. I hope you will come have lunch with us and maybe enjoy a little shopping in our great town.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN! My goal is to promote friendship and fellowship among all garden club members. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely, Mary Carol McCall

A Message From Your Co-Director, Melodie Smith

New and exciting plans are being made not only by Garden Club of Georgia, but also our Camellia District. Mary Carol McCall and the Executive Board have been busy making plans! We want to meet you, your club, and hear your suggestions and ideas as we all work together for your Club and our District!

As Co-Director and Membership Chairman for the District, a few members have been asked to anonymously complete four questions and return them to me. More of you will be contacted by someone in your Club or within the District to complete these questions. The questions ask the responder: Why did you join your Garden Club; What do you hope to gain by being a member; Is there a project you would like to see your Garden Club do in your community; and If you could make one suggestion to your Garden Club to interest a friend to join, what would it be? The purpose of this questionnaire is to receive your input on what we can do as a team to bring in new members and also how to make our garden clubs interesting to young members. If you are interested and want to complete the questions please feel free to do so. Mail your anonymous responses to my address: 378 Champion Ophelia Road, Dublin, GA 31021.

Our Director has identified two areas she would like for us to emphasize- civic improvement and youth programs. Our District Awards are also going to support club’s projects and membership participation in both civic improvement and youth programs. We need for our communities to see us active within the community and using funds we receive to give back. Our future gardeners are our youth and we need to be educating, encouraging, including, and supporting our youth and schools.

We hope to see you at our board meetings and especially at out Annual District Meeting in October! A lot of information will be shared that will benefit you and your club. Let’s have a lot of FUN as we develop friendships and work together. I’m only a phone call, text or email from you for anything you need. Feel free to contact me at any time!

Visit the new Camellia District Website!

You can also click below for Board Member contact info...

Camellia District Homepage

Flower Show News

The Magnolia District V and Camellia District IV will present “A Mosaic of Autumn” NGC Standard Flower Show at the 34th Annual Georgia National Fair in Perry, October 6-8, 2023. The show will be be held at the Miller-Murphy-Howard Building.

There are many ways for you to enter and participate!

More information can be found on the Georgia National Fair website HERE

or contact

Flower Show Chairman, Willie Maxwell, Magnolia District, 229-938-5830

or Co-Chairman Melodie Smith, Camellia District, 478-278-7721

Mark Your Calendars

Click HERE for full registration and lunch orders

Please Join Us

for

The Camellia District Board Meeting

August 8, 2023

10am

at the

Thomasville Garden Center

Check your email for registration info

SAVE THE DATE

Camellia District Meeting

October 11th, 2023

Macon, GA

News from Our Clubs

Valdosta

May of each year is National Historic Preservation Month and the city of Valdosta, Georgia recognizes buildings that meet the criteria for preservation and rehabilitation of both residential and commercial properties located within the Valdosta Local Historic District. The awards positively reinforce the Historic District Design Review process, promotes goodwill within our community and acknowledges the hard work and economic reinvestment into the community’s building stock.

This year's theme was “People Saving Places” and The Garden Center, Inc. of Valdosta, owners of The Crescent, was awarded the Stewardship Award for long term preservation and care of a historic building.

We as a Garden Club and Council have owned, maintained and preserved The Crescent since 1951. The Crescent was built in 1898 and is on the National Registry of Homes. We were amazed and blessed to have been awarded the Stewardship Award for our continuing hard work. In the past year, we have been involved in fighting off a termite problem, releading our historic windows, and repainting the entire building. It has been quite the challenge, but our jewel is looking better than ever.

Jeff Brammer, senior planner of historic planning, presented the award and banner at the monthly City Commissioner's meeting. Council President, Vicki Fenstermaker and Spokeperson, Bobbie Lester were there to receive the award from our Mayor Scott Matheson.

Pictured are: Alex Alvarez , Jeff Brammer, Historic Preservation Planner, Bobbie Lester, Vicki Fenstermaker, Scott Matheson, Mayor and Richard Hardy, City Manager

Garden Club of Quitman Completes 'First Ladies Garden'

In December 2022 the Garden Club of Quitman completed an extensive camellia project in the camellia gardens on the grounds of the historic Brooks County Courthouse in Quitman, Georgia. The “First Ladies Garden” is a camellia garden which honors former first ladies of Georgia and the current first lady, Marty A. Kemp. Former first ladies for whom a camellia is named are: Betty Foy Sanders, Sandra Deal, Rosalynn Carter, Mary Perdue, Marie Barnes, Shirley Miller, Mary Beth Busbee, Virginia Maddox and Elizabeth Harris. The ten camellias are beautifully arranged around a brick walkway and includes a wrought iron bench which faces the Brooks County Museum and Cultural Center and the adjacent honorary Betty Sheffield Camellia Garden.

The “First Ladies Garden” was jointly funded by grants received from the Plant America Community Project Grant, The Brooks County Development Authority, and funds received from the Garden Club of Quitman.

In 2018, Quitman was honored with the distinction of being named Georgia’s Camellia City. The Betty Sheffield Memorial Garden, the medians of North Court Street, and the camellias within the Westend Cemetery are all gardens which are featured on Georgia’s Camellia Trail. Quitman is also adorned with camellias in the medians of both East and West Screven Streets.

The Monarchs are Coming!

August 18th and 19th, 2023

CLICK HERE to JOIN THE COUNT!