Cincinnati Garden Clubs Dedicate Blue Star Memorial Marker Nov. 7

The Cincinnati, Ohio-area garden clubs of The Garden Club of Ohio, Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. will dedicate a Blue Star Memorial marker on November 7, 2010. http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20101105/NEWS01/11060315/Veteran-s-Day-pa

Sullivan Garden Club Dedicates Blue Star Memorial

The Sullivan Garden Club of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. will dedicate a Blue Star Memorial marker on Nov. 6. http://www.mysullivannews.com/2010/11/garden-club-will-dedicate-blue-star-memorial-nov-6/

'Golden Days' Marks Alta Vista Garden Club Project

The Alta Vista Garden Club of the Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. planted 500 daffodil bulbs at Veterans Memorial Park in Prescott, Ariz. to honor past garden club members throughout the nation. http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=86969

Missouri Garden Club Dedicates 'Pink Garden' For Breast Cancer Awareness

Mountain View Garden Club of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri, Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. recently dedicated a "pink garden" for breast cancer awareness as part of NGC's garden therapy program. http://www.howellcountynews.com/Stories/news_20101103_072621_24752_.php

NGC Invites Lexington Children To Participate In Poster Contest

The Lexington Field and Garden Club of the Garden Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. is inviting children in first- through-fifth-grade to participate in National Garden Clubs' 2011 Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contest. http://www.wickedlocal.com/lexington/features/x2115298063/Lexington-children-invited-to-participate-in-poster-contest

Ellsworth Garden Club Wins New England Regional Award

The Ellsworth Garden Club of the Garden Club Federation of Maine recently received the Laura Wetmore Conservation Award for its efforts in environmental education and conservation for a hummingbird and butterfly planting project. http://fenceviewer.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50887:Ellsworth%20Garden%20Club%20Wins%20New%20England%20Regional%20Award&catid=967:feature&Itemid=78

Garden Therapy Project Plants It Pink at Health Care Center in O'Fallon, MO.

The Fleur de Lis Garden Society of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri and National Garden Clubs Inc. plant pink in honor of breast cancer awareness. http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/articles/2010/10/30/stcharles/news/1027stc-plant0.txt

Garden Club Members Stop To Smell The Roses

Members of the Sayville, N.Y. Garden Club of the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. participate in a variety of civic and environmental projects.
http://sayville.patch.com/articles/sayville-garden-club-members-stop-to-smell-the-roses

Ohio Garden Club Helps Seniors Enjoy Garden Therapy

Members of the Carrollton Garden Club of The Garden Club of Ohio, Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc. helped seniors at Carroll Golden Age Retreat with a garden therapy project. See
http://www.freepressstandard.com/Accent/02102810.htm

West Virginia Garden Club Holds Plant It Pink Garden Dedication

In recognition of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the Williamson Wildwood Garden Club of West Virginia Garden Club Inc. and National Garden Clubs Inc., dedicated a "Plant It Pink" garden on the grounds of the Mingo County Courthouse. http://www.williamsondailynews.com/view/full_story/9984478/article

Garden Club in Tennessee Touts Benefits of Garden Therapy

The Magnolia Garden Club, member of the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. and National Garden Clubs, Inc., presented "Garden Therapy-How Seniors Benefit," which explored the many benefits of garden therapy for seniors, including physical activity, relaxation, skill and social development, psychological well-being, sensory stimulation and intellectual and personal growth.
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/9967112/article-Club-Notes--%E2%80%98Garden-Therapy%E2%80%99-was-topic-for-Magnolia-Garden-Club?instance=main_article

National Garden Clubs Plant It Pink For Breast Cancer Awareness

The Fleur de Lis Garden Society of St. Charles County and member of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri and National Garden Clubs Inc., dedicated a pink container garden at Progress West Health Care Center in O'Fallon, Mo., as part of NGC's "Plant It Pink" program that promotes breast cancer education and awareness.
NGC encourages garden clubs across the U.S. to implement Plant It Pink initiatives at hospitals, cancer centers, memorial gardens and more as part of its ongoing garden therapy program. See http://interact.stltoday.com/pr/business/PR10181001114610 for more information.

Louisiana Garden Club Federation Inc. Promotes Breast Cancer Awareness Through NGC National Program

Joining in the effort to increase breast cancer awareness, research and education, Louisiana Garden Club Federation Inc. has adopted National Garden Clubs' "Plant It Pink" Awards program. The NGC Plant It Pink program offers a "Pink Trowel" state award and a "Pink Glove" club award for participating garden clubs nationwide that initiate an outstanding Plant It Pink program at a health care facility. See http://www.louisianagardenclubs.org/projects/plant_it_pink.htm.

Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut Dedicate Children's Garden at New Connecticut Science Center

The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc. recently dedicated a children's interactive rooftop terrace garden in Hartford, Conn., that promotes lifelong learning and exploration. For more information, logon to http://www.ctgardenclubs.org/sciencecenter.html

Green Thumbs Head To Great Falls, MT

The Montana Federation of Garden Clubs recently hosted the 2010 National Garden Clubs' Fall Conference in Great Falls, MT. KFBB-TV, an affiliate of ABC-TV, featured the week-long event on a newscast:
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Green-Thumbs-To-Great-Falls-103889399.html

Blue Star Memorials Now On Facebook

The Blue Star Memorial project began in 1944 with the planting of 8,000 dogwood trees by the New Jersey Council of Garden Clubs as a living memorial to veterans of World War II. The following year, National Garden Clubs adopted and expanded the program by initiating the Blue Star Highway system, which involves placing permanent memorial markers along the nation’s highways. “The Blue Star Memorial program is our oldest and most revered program,” says Renee D. Blaschke, NGC president. “We are proud to play a visible role in honoring our nation’s servicemen and servicewomen.”

Since the program’s inception, more than 2,163 Blue Star Memorials have been erected across the United States. The large, handsome metal markers are placed in national cemeteries, parks, government facilities, veterans homes and hospitals, and along highways across the U.S.

To help NGC members keep up on Blue Star Memorial activities across the nation, NGC has
set up a special Facebook page named “Blue Star Memorial Project of National Garden Clubs.” On the page, you’ll find photos, discussions and links to news articles about new memorial markers, dedications, fundraisers and restoration efforts. You can also share your own Blue Star news and photos by posting to the site.

If you’re on Facebook already, simply search for the page by name and join in. You can also access the page at this URL: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Blue-Star-Memorial-Project-of-National-Garden-Clubs/311974175292?ref=ts.

Share Your Garden Club Photos Via Flickr

You’re invited to visit and enjoy NGC’s new public Flickr site (or “photostream”) at www.flickr.com/nationalgardenclubs. The recently launched site--designed to create and nurture a photo archive for garden club members nationwide--showcases award-winning gardens, floral arrangements, conventions, news and projects. Anyone can view the NGC site simply by going to the link listed; you do NOT need to be a Flickr member. Photos on the official NGC photostream are licensed appropriately through Creative Commons; this allows the images to be used for publicity purposes in the news media as well as by NGC-affiliated clubs.

In addition to the official NGC photostream, the Flickr site features several affiliated “groups.” The groups, which can be public or private, offer garden club “photobugs” an easily accessible channel for uploading, pooling, categorizing and displaying their own photos. A major goal of these group pools is to make a wide variety of images available to garden club members everywhere for use in local, state, regional and national newsletters, brochures and websites, as well as educational demonstrations and training. High quality photos from the groups may also be selected for inclusion in the main public NGC photostream site and digital archive.

Initial groups include:
www.flickr.com/groups/NGC_conventions/
www.flickr.com/groups/NGC_flowershows/
www.flickr.com/groups/NGC_projects/

Additional groups will be created as interest in garden club photo sharing grows. Group rules and licensing information are available on the group sign-up pages.

To join a group and contribute photos and comments to the group pool, you need to have both a Yahoo!® email account (Flickr is affiliated with Yahoo!) and a Flickr account. Both are free, quick and easy to set up, and accessible on the Flickr sign-up page at www.flickr.com.

For more information on photo sharing through Flickr, please contact Robin Pokorski, NGC Photo Archives Chair, at robinp@juno.com.

Anna-Jo Garden Club in Anna, Ill., honors service men and women with rededication of Blue Star Memorial

Thanks to the Gazette-Democrat of Union County, Ill., for this story of the rededication of the Blue Star Memorial by the Anna-Jo Garden Club.

http://annanews.com/articles/2010/09/02/news/doc4c7fe2f8d6e3e396261489.txt

Great Garden Club pix on Flickr

Check out National Garden Clubs' new Flickr page. There's great photos of flower shows, Blue Star Memorials, garden therapy, etc.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalgardenclubs/

Tampa area garden clubs gear up for fall/winter and new members

http://southtampa2.tbo.com/content/2010/sep/01/st-garden-clubs-prepare-for-busy-fall-winter-activ/