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CELEBRATING NATURE'S DIVERSITY
Appreciate the unique landscape that welcomes you in and around Giant City State Park at the heart of Shawnee National Forest. This year's Summer Meeting is not to be missed! Registration Deadline is July 3, 2013. The modest $25 fee includes meeting, lunch and program. Send check payable to District VII and mail to Susan Sherwin, P.O. BOX 634, Anna, IL 62906. If your schedule allows, arrive on Monday for the pre-meeting activities and enjoy the hike and driving tour, along with dinner at Giant City Lodge. For lodge reservations call 618-457-4921 and mention GCI Summer Meeting to receive the $79 plus tax, cabin rate. Full details appeared in GARDENGlories Spring/Summer issue 2013 (blue cover), along with driving directions. Questions? Call Susan at 618-833-7173 or e-mail foxysvineyard@yahoo.com.
Take this opportunity to visit this awe inspiring rustic site with its natural rugged splendor and understory of wild flowers and ferns and more than 75 varieties of trees. Our District VII garden club members will show us what "Southern Illinois hospitality" is all about!
Summer Meeting registration blank also under FORMS on this site.
See you there!
Enthusiasm is contagious when working with young people. There are many ways to involve youth in projects designed for a wide variety of age groups. GCI's Youth chairman would like to hear from you and projects by which your club members have interested young people in gardening. Consider partnering with local schools, scout troops, park districts -- REACH OUT beyond the garden club. Celebrate Arbor Day and Earth Day. Suggest joint projects, school and community gardens. National Garden Club sponsors a number of youth contests. Check out the NGC website: www.gardenclub.org for the current projects and awards. Check with the state Youth chairman for additional information. The chairman's name appears on the inside of GARDENGlories front cover.
GOOD NEWS! College scholarships are offered by a number of local garden clubs, The Garden Clubs of Illinois, Inc., Central Region and National Garden Club, Inc. Students majoring in horticulture, landscape, environmental and conservation studies or other allied programs should contact the GCI Scholarship chairman listed in GARDENGlories for further details. The NGC website carries information on scholarships offered by the national organization.
The quality of club programs can do much to recruit new members and keep your present ones interested. GCI has a state program chairman who is responsible for compiling a Program Book each year. Until such time as a new one is available please refer to the 2013 Program Book which remains in the Members Only section under Forms. Call the office (630) 617-9369 if you have forgotten the password. Office hours are 10 am - 3 pm.
Do submit the name of someone your club has engaged for a program and was pleased with the presentation. The program chairman will be happy to hear from you and perhaps persuade the speaker to list in the state's new Program Book. Don't underestimate talent within your club - someone with a knowledge of bees, floral arrangements, garden therapy or children's projects, to name a few possibilities.
The fall Central Region Meeting will be hosted by the Indiana Federation of Garden Clubs in Middlebury, Indiana. Central Region is made up of seven
states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Joyce Bullington is chairman of the Convention which will be held on October 16-18, 2013 in Middlebury. We expect to have further program information and details shortly. These will be posted on this website and published in the next issue of GARDENGlories.
Central Region Meetings are friendly affairs. Attendees meet new garden club friends, exchange ideas, and learn in the workshops. Plan to attend if you possibly can and participate in the business and accomplishments of our fellow states.
Our own Gerry Ford serves as Central Region Director for the next 2 years. Julie Hansen was elected to serve as Alternate Director. Gerry's theme is: "Share, Care, and Protect our Future." Her regional project is: "Each state and every club hold an educational event open to friends and community."
The website for Central Region is ngccentralregion.org
See the Registration blank for Central Region Meeting under "Forms."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS The fall 2013 Regional Meeting host is the Indiana Federation of Garden Clubs. Lest you forget how much fun these Midwest state garden clubs are, take a look at these pictures from the Indiana group's "official invitation".
ILLINOIS WINNERS OF CENTRAL REGION AWARDS
- #3 Celebrating Our Gardens: 1st Bull Valley GC; 2nd Council of Rockford GClubs
- #8 Celebrating Through Garden Therapy 1st Inverness GC; 3rd Bloomingdale GC
- #9 Celebrating Beauty 1st GC of Downers Grove
- #10 Celebrating Creativity 1st GC of Downers Grove
- #11 Celebrating Community Gardens 2nd Woodlands GC
- #12 Celebrating National Garden Week 1st GC of Downers Grove; Certificate; Springfield Civic GC
ILLINOIS WINNERS ARTS & CRAFT SHOW
- Whimsical Straw Hats, Class 11, Marilyn Smircina; Class 17
- Through the Lens Marilyn Smircina; Class 19 Embroidery Gerry Ford
YOUTH AWARDS PRESENTED AT NGC CONVENTION
- Youth Poetry: 1st Grade Rhea Bhardwaj, South Barrington GC; 6th Grade: Abby Reames, Metropolis GC;
- High School Essay: Central Region 1s Shannon Dowling Moonlight Madness GC
- Youth Sculpture: 4th Grade Mikel Ginsburg, South Barrington GC
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Below: Marilyn Smircina & Gerry Ford with their winning checks in Crafts Show, Central
Below center: Members of Indiana State Garden Clubs, led by Joyce Bullington and her trusty ponies, all promised that next fall's Central Region Meeting would be one to enjoy and remember. Central Region is a friendly group. We learn what's going on in our seven sister states, exchange ideas and learn at workshops, as well as renewing old friendships and making new ones.
Right: Congratulations were in order as GCI's own David Robson received Presidential recognition for his role in producing NGC's new horticulture book with Jim Schmidt. Shirley Nicolai emphasized the amount of work and wealth of knowledge that was put into this latest publication. David is a member of Springfield Civic Garden Club and a Flower Show School Instructor. We're mighty proud to have him as a GCI representive. The new Horticulture book is to be ready in time for the Instructors Symposium in January.
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National Garden Club Projects
"Proudly Serving our Members and Communities." Theme for NGC President Shirley Nicolai's 2012-2013 term.
The Garden Clubs of Illinois enthusiastically supports the three projects NGC President Shirley Nicolai has asked clubs to emphasize during her term. To accomplish this she has suggested three new projects:
"Protecting Aquatic Ecosystems" should be of great interest living in a state whose eastern border is Lake Michigan, and western border along the mighty Mississippi. Our many rivers and lakes and wells need protection also. Clubs are urged to work either alone or with another like-minded group in pursuit of this goal.
"Plantings for Public and Special Places" such as Gardens with Edibles, Container Gardens or Trees and Shrubs inspires us to expand and try new approaches in our communities.
"Photo Archiving of Accomplishments" is a way in which club floral designs, schools, gardens and other worthy projects can be recognized.
Excellent suggestions for adapting these projects into garden club programs and activities is posted on the National Garden Club website.
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NATIVE PLANTS
GIRL SCOUT PATCH
This is a program designed
to teach Girl Scouts about native plants in their area.
Scouts at all age levels are eligible to earn the patch.
This promotes girl-to-adult and girl-to-girl discussion
by partnering National Garden Club with with the Scouts.
Read more on the NGC website:
www.gardenclub.ord/Youth/GirlScoutPatch. Contact
your local Girl Scout troop(s) and find out how your
club can get involved.
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| Cultivar of Echinacea
Purpurea, 'Green Envy' is new green blooming
perennial available this year. Visit Get Green
Envy.com or study those Nursery catalogs you've
been receiving and decide to include something
new in your landscape when springtime
arrives. |
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WE CONTINUE TO BE "GREEN"
Long before
environmentalism became a household word, garden clubs
throughout the nation have been practicing it since
National Garden Clubs founding in 1929. Members have
been in the forefront of the "Green Movement" by
introducing recycling, organic gardening, wildflower
gardens, elimination of invasive species, and many other
ways to protect the environment in their home gardens
and their many civic projects. They continue to do so.
In 1986 the
first Environmental Studies School was introduced during
the National Presidency of Illinoisan Violet Dawson.
Since that time the Schools have been held across the
United States under sponsorship of State garden club
federations. Here in Illinois a new Series will begin.
Prospective students may begin the Series at any time
during the four course series.
The "Living
Earth" Environmental Studies School is composed of a
minimum of forty-four hours of study of specific units
divided into four courses of eleven hours each. Every
course contains nine (9) hours of specified units of
study and a two (2) hour tour. At the conclusion of each
course a written "Open Book" examination is given. After
successful completion of all four courses the student
will have earned the designation of Nationally
Accredited Environmental Consultant. Students also may
join the Environmental Consultants Council that meets on
a regular basis for special field trips, speakers and
the-like.
For
further information on this School and details telephone
GCI Headquarters at 630-617-9269 Monday, Wednesday,
Friday 10 AM to 3 PM.
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NGC'S RECYCLING
PROGRAM
Garden clubs throughout the
country will be participating in National's
recycling program. Empty ink jet cartridges, laser
cartridges, and used cell phones will be
collected. Check the NGC website for a list of
acceptable cartridges and cell phones. Each state
will set up its own chairman and collection
sites.
SCHOOL CHILDREN'S GARDENS
Accent on Youth! Introducing more
and more children to the joys of gardening
continues to be a goal of garden club members.
Children's gardens are not new,
but if you or your club hasn't tried establishing
some gardening activities in your local school,
see if the time isn't ripe for doing just that.
PLANT "NATIVE"
Emphasis is being placed on the
usage and conservation of native plants. Garden
club members have long incorporated such plants in
their home and civic landscapes. The goal is to
save endangered species and recognize the
advantage of planting natives when it comes to
water conservation, reducing the uses of
pesticides and fertilizers, healthy soil building,
and re-introduction of beautiful but often
forgotten old-fashioned beauties in the garden. |
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BLUE STARS OVER ILLINOIS 
The Blue Star Memorial program continues to be popular among Garden Clubs of Illinois clubs. Most recently the Council of Barrington Garden Clubs received its Highway Marker and it is in place at the intersection of Old Sutton Road and Dundee Road along Illinois Route 68. Dedication is scheduled for next spring. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The marker will be placed as a tribute to the 91 local residents who volunteered at this site in 1861-1865 to serve their country.
District VII's Highway Marker has been placed at the I-57 Trail of Tears Rest Area near Anna. The marker was dedicated on Friday, November 9, 2013. The Mascoutah Garden Club re-dedicated its marker on November 12. The marker had been damaged and has since been repaired and repainted.
Kathy Rewerts serves as Blue Star Memorial chairman for the Garden Clubs of Illinois. She can be reached for further information at rewerts@netzero.net or at her mailing address 841 CR700 E. Sullivan, IL 61951-0109.
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COMMEMORATIVE STAMP PROJECT
As you may already know, GCI has
long been involved in saving commemorative stamps for
the Illinois Audubon Society. Monies raised from the
sale of these stamps is used to purchase property for
wiidlife. Kay macNeil serves as GCI's state Birds and
Butterflies Chairman. Commemorative stamps for the
project may be mailed to her attention at The Garden
Clubs of Illinois, Inc., 188 Industrial Drive, Suite 120, Elmhurst, IL 60126-1608
Reminder: When removing stamps, please
leave a 1 1/2" margin around them. Commemorative stamps are
the (usually) larger special stamps printed in limited
quantities. The common love, flag, or Christmas stamps
are not wanted, but foreign stamps are desired. Local
post offices display the newest ones.
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Check your GARDENGlories for
advertisements of Plant sales, garden tours, and flower
shows.
Visit Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe
and Morton Arboretum in Lisle. Both offer special events
and and programs year round. Plan to tour the grounds of
these world-famous sites. | 
