Williamstown Garden Club
General Membership Meeting Tuesday April 26, 2016
A GENERAL MEMBERSHIP meeting was held on Tuesday, April 26 at 1 pm at Sweetwood and attended by about thirty members. The business portion was called to order by Co-President Dianne Glick at 1:10pm. There were no guests. Two honorary members, Dorothy Reinke and Dottie Edgerton were introduced and welcomed. There was no Treasurer’s report.
This was the first meeting of the season, hence an organizational one. Handbooks were available for pick-up. Linda Conway reviewed the meeting schedule in the handbook and described the various monthly programs. Dianne Glick thanked Susan Pike and Kathy McKnight for their efforts and Marilyn Faulkner for labeling and circulating the handbook. She also reminded everyone that the club’s mailing list is not be used to promote any activity unrelated to WGC activities.
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Susan and Kathy discussed/demonstrated the web site and reviewed its content. Kathy said she would be ordering more of the green Garden Club tee shirts, and these should be available at the next meeting. Sign-Up sheets were available for Hospitality, Spring and Fall Plant Sales, the July meeting at Naumkeag in Stockbridge, and Beautification activities: Walley Bridge, South Williamstown, Town Hall and the Police Station, Field Park, Milne Library and the various containers located at intersections throughout town. Members were reminded about planting dates as well as their responsibilities through the growing and maintenance months (trim plants back to allow for fuller growth). Plants this year include begonias, petunias, coleus and zinnias.
Corresponding Secretary, Anne Tiffany, read notes received from several members. Anne also had several books available on Junior Gardening and Flower Arranging. Dianne announced that former member, Rita Watson, offered to part with seashells left from various table settings used in the annual Williams golf tournament. It was suggested that the elementary school art teacher be contacted to see if these could be used in projects with the students.
The next major event is the Spring Plant Sale. Patricia and Maria Siskind are in overall charge with Elaine Neely responsible for the plant part and Carol Oshinsky the food portion. Elaine is seeking ten plant contributions from each members, and she is available to help with digging. Plants should be dug on or before May 14 and delivered to the Siskind’s barn by Wednesday, May 25. Pricing and clean-up will be done on Thursday and Friday with the sale on Saturday, May 28. There are three shifts on sale day and members were encouraged to sign up. Maria Siskind demonstrated a beautiful bushy perennial she had recently dug from her garden. There will also be a Gardener’s Tag Sale, offering gardening tools, books and ornaments. Any leftover plants will be offered to Highland Woods, the new senior housing complex on Southworth Street.
All hospitality coffee/refreshment supplies will be consolidated and stored at Joan Wright’s home and can be picked up and returned there each month. New membership brochures have been printed and will be available at the Plant Sale and at various locations around town. Scholarships were discussed and it was recommended that the WGC work with the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and direct interested applicants from the area to that organization. The WGC might also contribute to the fund maintained by the state organization.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:05, followed by delicious refreshments provided by Anne Tiffany, Ginny Granger, Marilyn Faulkner and Pat Greenberg.
Kathy McKnight, Recording Secretary