SOUTHEAST DISTRICT JANUARY NEWSLETTER

Happy New Year, Garden Club Ladies and Gentlemen!  I hope your Christmas was warm and wonderful for you and your family, and the New Year finds you in good spirits ready for a great 2010.

Even though this is a slow gardening season, we still have club duties.  Here are the latest Deadlines to which we are looking forward:

January 10—Club President’s Report                       Send to:
FGCM Club Ratings Chairman—Carolyn Doyle
SE District Director—Nancy Bahn
           
February 1—Yearbooks                                             Send to:
FGCM Club Programs Chrm.—Carolyn Flynn                                   
FGCM State President—Jean Roseman
SE District Award Chairman—Kathy Faver
SE District Director—Nancy Bahn

All addresses may be found in the Southeast District Roster Book or the Garden Forum. 

            I have received six President’s Report as of today, January 6.  Kudoos to those Garden Club Presidents who have done their work early!  I am looking forward to reading all the other reports about the wonderful and interesting activities you all are doing in your communities.  Also, remember that you can fill out your President’s Report online and email to the respective sites.  So far, two clubs have sent in reports this way.

            I noticed a place to check on the President’s Report under “Requirements for a Purple Ribbon Club—‘Ten of the Following’— ____r.  20% of Club membership (not less than 5) subscribing to the National Gardener (#).”  Many of you have subscriptions to the NGC publication The National Gardener.  However, if you do not, this is a very informative little magazine containing articles on what other garden clubs around the country are doing, book reviews, all the study schools offered nationwide, awards and different articles on flower arranging and horticulture.  The subscription is $6.50 for one year and $18.00 for three years.  The address is:  TNG Circulation, 4401 Magnolia Ave., St. Louis, MO  63110.  But if you become a NGC Life Member, the magazine will come to your house for free for life!   I will tell you all about the Central Region Newsletter next month.

            This morning as I was reading through my Garden Forum, I came to the District News.  Alas, there was no news from the Southeast District in this issue, and there usually is some news there.  Okay, ladies of the SE District Garden Clubs!  We need to publicize our fabulous, terrific and numerous Garden Club activities.  You all do so much!  So let’s get some credit for it. Does your club have a Publicity Chairman?  Our District Publicity Chairman is Cindy Boyers from the Poplar Bluff Garden Club.  Cindy will have some ideas on publicizing your club and how to do it on this website.  Deadlines for news and pictures for the Garden Forum are found on the back of the magazine.  So let’s make sure we are noticed! 

         And while you are at it, please send a copy of any article or picture about your garden club in your local newspaper to our SE District Historian Betty Galibert, Bonne Terre Garden Club, 1856 Rue Vaneau, Bonne Terre, MO  63628.  Betty has done an outstanding job compiling the history of the SE District for the last few years and is doing this job for us for this term, also.  Please send Betty any clippings and pictures of your projects that you can.  This will be a big help to her.

         Last, but not least, the 77th Annual Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri Convention is coming up on April 22-24, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center in Chesterfield, MO.  This year the Convention is close and they have planned so many interesting and fun seminars and tours.  Get your registration in early because the ‘Optional Events’ have a limited number.  Also, the registration price goes up after March 24.  Conventions are so much fun and educational, too.  There are so many nice garden club ladies to meet and mingle.  So get your buddies together, share a room and a ride, and let’s meet in Chesterfield in April!  

Have a restful January in front of the fireplace thinking about spring gardening!

All the Best in Caring for Our Beautiful Earth,
Nancy Bahn
Southeast District Director

Southeast District Chairmen Reports

INSPIRATION THROUGH SAWDUST AND DIRT
Sheila Blackwell
Habitat Chairperson 

     The Nancy Weber Garden Club of Farmington has enjoyed landscaping eight Habitat for Humanity homes in St.. Francois County for the past seven years.  Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian housing ministry that builds, renovates, and repairs houses in partnership with people in need of adequate housing.  These people are selected locally by Habitat groups based on their need for housing, ability to repay a no-profit loan, and a willingness to partner with Habitat to help build and repair additional houses.  Mainly because of that willingness to work, the Nancy Weber members felt that a Habitat home recipient would truly appreciate and maintain our landscaping efforts.  That has been so very true!  The new homeowners have been as delighted as our club has!  Naturally we felt the plantings were the “icing on the cake!”  And in addition to the joy our members gained, we hoped we had created and inspired future gardeners.

      We would like to encourage other clubs to try this project—we believe you will find it rewarding and add beauty to your community.  To encourage your club even more, matching grants are available to help buy your plants—how amazing is that?  For more information on the grants, please contact Marty Tolle at 417.934.6497 or mjt@townsqr.com.

We will be asked at the end of the year to report on Habitat for Humanity Projects with which your garden club has been involved.  Please report this information to me, so that I may get a count for our Southeast District.   Then I will forward it to the State Chairman Marty Tolle.  Thank you.  

Sheila Blackwell 
2750 Blomeier Road
Farmington, MO  63640

* Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl contests to STATE Chrmn Rochelle Murdock

* Club Publicity Press books to Nancy Senter, 882 Heather Ln, Hazelwood MO 63042, 314-521-6534

Deadline: Club Yearbooks to DIST. DIR., DIST Awards Chrmn, FGCM President, and STATE Club Programs Chrmn., Carolyn Flynn

*Bird Appreciation Day (Missouri)

Standard Flower Show, Four Winds G.C. (ECD), Long View Park, Town & Country

* Deadline:  Dist. and State dues to DIST. and FGCM Treasurers (along w/ contributions)

*Deadline: All youth contests to DIST. Chairman or DIST. Director (except Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl contest)

FGCM Fall Board Meeting, Capitol Plaza Hotel., Jefferson City

*Deadline: All youth contests to their respective STATE Chairman   (except Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl contest)Essay: Judy Green
Poetry: Pat Schnarr
Natl. H.S. Distinguished Award: Melissa Mallinson

*Deadline: All youth contests to their respective FGCM Chairman
                             (except Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl contest)
Essay:  Beth Cross
Poetry:  Pat Schnarr
Natl. H.S. Distinguished Award:  Melissa Mallinson

*Deadline: All Books of Evidence to one of the following FGCM Awards Chairmen:
A.  FGCM Flower Show Awards (F-1 - F16) to Kathy Faver
B.  FGCM Projects Awards (P-1 - P-29) to Anne Foust
C.  FGCM Special Awards (S-1 - S-10) to Nancy Senter, 882 Heather Ln, Hazelwood, MO 63042
D.  FGCM Youth Awards (J-1 - J-3) to Nancy Senter

*Deadline: All Holiday Flower Show Books of Evidence to STATE Flower Show Awards Chrmn., Kathy Faver (Year 2010)

*Deadline: Award of Honor nominations to Chrmn, Maisie Keeser