NEW!! Pictures of the Yellow Daisy Flower Show

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The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.
980 Briarcliff Road, N. E., Atlanta, Ga. 30306. Phone and Fax: 404-872-5730

Vol.27 August 2006

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT:

Here’s hoping each of you have had a fun filled summer and that you have been able to relax and become invigorated for the upcoming activities that will occur this fall. Many exciting plans are being made for us to have another productive year.
 
Words cannot express my gratitude to each of you for making our Blue Star Memorial Marker Dedication on May 19, 2006 such a memorable day! Thank you for supporting this tribute to our men and women in the Armed Forces. The whole event was magnificent! 
 
Plans are now being made for our next Blue Star Memorial Marker that will be dedicated on November 3, 2006 at 1:00 PM at the Atlanta Veteran’s Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road. We have received a most enthusiastic letter from Mr. John Clark, Acting Medical Center Director, expressing his delight in our placing this meaningful symbol on their grounds in recognition of America’s heroes.  We hope this will be another special day!
 
Our DeKalb Federation has a new project that was initiated in June. We now have our own Website!  Sterling Hill from Dunwoody Garden Club has established a wonderful and informative Website for us with the assistance of our member Joy Zaidan. Be sure and check this out at  http://www. dekalbfederation.com/.  Sterling has most graciously agreed to serve on the Executive Board in a newly established position, Website Chairman. It is truly exciting to have so many willing and talented people in our organization.
 
We all are anticipating the events that are planned for the coming months. The Stone Mountain Yellow Daisy Flower Show in September, the Redbud District Meeting in Stone Mountain in October and our two special events in November - the Blue Star Marker Dedication and the day for us to celebrate and have fun our annual Fashion Show and Luncheon.
 
Again thank you for your time and talents in making the DeKalb Federation of Garden Clubs such a successful organization.

Jean Smith

Dear Redbuds,                                 Joy Zaidan, Director
 
Yellow Daisy Flower Show, Redbud's annual district flower show, is just around the corner. It has always been a wonderful show and a National award winner because Remarkable Redbuds work so well together and always pitch in to help when needed. We are counting on your support for the upcoming Yellow Daisy Flower Show, when "Daisy Dances ‘Round the World", on September 8-10, 2006 at Stone Mountain Park's Marina.

Show Chairman Rita Compher, Co-Chairman Margaret Lloyd and the entire Flower Show Committee have been working diligently to produce what promises to be a spectacular event.

As you know, the theme for this administration is "Challenges...An Opportunity to Make a Difference". This Director is presenting you with your first challenge of this new garden club year. The challenge is to help Redbud reach the required 75% flower show participation. In order for Redbud District to apply for a National district flower show award, National Garden Clubs requires 75% participation of clubs in the district. My challenge to you is to help us achieve the 75% participation by doing one of the following:
   a. serving as a hostess (contact Rachel Fowler at Rachel@DeKalbFederation.com)
   b. submitting a design entry (contact Joan Thornton at Joan@DeKalbFederation.com)
   c. entering horticulture (contact Rosalie Gage at garygage3@aol.com)
   d. assisting with setup or teardown (contact Mickie Holton at Mickie@DeKalbFederation.com)
   e. clerking (contact Tracy Trentadue at Tracy@DeKalbFederation.com)
   f. painting props (contact Edith Morton at Edith@DeKalbFederation.com)
   g. attending the show
   h. providing food and/or refreshments for the workers (Beth Wielage at bwielage@bellsouth.net)
   i. securing publicity for the event (contact Chris Lutz at Chris@DeKalbFederation.com)
j. If you are unable to assist in any of the above areas, a monetary donation from your club or a club member would also qualify as club participation. A small donation of several dollars or more would help Redbud reach the 75% participation level that National Garden Clubs requires. If you choose to send a donation, you may do so to: Margaret Lloyd, Redbud District Treasurer, 1766 Kings Mountain Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30087.

This Director has assured Chairman Compher that Remarkable Redbuds would rise to the challenge and might possibly exceed the 75% mark! Your Redbud District Director thanks you in advance for your assistance in helping Redbud achieve its 75% participation goal. Remarkable Redbuds are what make Redbud District the BEST. Look forward to seeing all of you at the Yellow Daisy Flower Show in September.

Joan Thornton, Entries Chairman, has some vacancies.  Please  call her at 404-378-3239 and help her fill them.

NEW!! Pictures of the Yellow Daisy Flower Show

Flower Show Co-Chairman Margaret Lloyd and Chairman Rita Compher put out the welcome mat for the Redbud District Flower Show in September.

FOR YELLOW DAISY FLOWER SHOW: CLARIFYING COLLECTIONS :
 A collection is a group of at least five different specimens, judged for cultural perfection. Must be grown by exhibitor. Staging is PROVIDED by committee as for all other horticulture classes and matching in some respect. (In YDFS green bottles). Specimens should be of EQUAL ribbon quality – lowest scoring specimen is the final ribbon.  Unusual collection allowed more credit, especially in a case of a tie; labels should be neat, legible, attractive but not distracting.

LEADING LIGHTS FASHION SHOW   Rigby Duncan and Joan Thornton - Ways and Means
Mark your calendars! Your Fashion Show Committee has been hard at work this summer planning the BIG event.  The Fourth Annual Leading Lights Fashion Show will be held on Friday, November 10, 2006 in the Courtyard at Callanwolde. This year, Stein Mart of Holcomb Bridge Road will provide the fashions. We will again feature vendors selling their products and services prior to the show, so if you would like to reserve a table, please contact Rigby at 404-321-1733.  Complete details will be presented at our September general meeting. Click here for registration forms:

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT    Betty Efird 404-292-0161
If any club members have removed signs during the summer, please let me know so I can make a report at the general meeting. Or, if any of you have done beautification projects or other endeavors I can report on, please let me know.
 
I was able to participate in the Keep DeKalb Beautiful (KDB) Litter Index in July and was both surprised and please that the north DeKalb area, which we evaluated this year, scored much better than south DeKalb, which I helped assess last year. Whether due to citizen diligence or the county pick-up, the areas around the north DeKalb middle schools looked good in July. Thank you, north DeKalb citizens, in your effort to be clean and beautiful.   
 
We can pick up campaign signs now that the election is over until November. The  candidates should pick up the signs. If not, we can do it. I recommend taking someone in the car that can pick up the signs while the driver can either park, go round the block or wait.
PROGRAM  Wilma Coney 770-939-1356
As we start our fall meetings after a hot, dry summer we will have a special treat at our September 28th regular Federation meeting. Just in time to be planting roses we will learn “What’s To Know About Roses.” Our speaker will be Bobbie Reed, a member of the Greater Atlanta Rose Society.  Roses are so special and I’m sure the program will be especially informative. Don’t miss it. 

BASIC DESIGN  Mickie Holton 404-634-2706
We had a great time during the Basic Design I Classes. I am grateful that so many took the classes and I feel that they were successful. Thank you to those who came and those who taught. The following completed all five units and their certificates are in the mail:

Sylvia Pannell                Joy Zaidan
Hilda Meyer                    Jan Green
Beth Wielage                  Cookie Roland
Johnnie Berry

Now we are ready to begin Basic Design Course II. All who have completed three units of Basic Design Course I are eligible to continue with Course II. If we have enough people signed up for these units, we will begin in November. Margaret Ballard has agreed to teach the first unit. She will teach a design of her choice from the Handbook and those taking the unit will select the other design. The suggestion was made that the other design be one that could be used at Christmas.

Please let me know at the next Federation Meeting or by email if you would like to attend these units. Thank you. Yellow Daisy Flower Show, Redbud's annual district flower show, is just around the corner. It has always been a wonderful show and a National award winner because Remarkable Redbuds work so well together and always pitch in to help when needed. We are counting on your support for the upcoming Yellow Daisy Flower Show, when "Daisy Dances ‘Round the World".

Mary Fite and Beth Weilage celebrating Avondale Estates Garden Club's 75th anniversary

DF members who attended Avondale Estates 75th Anniversary

MEMBERSHIP – What Does It Mean?  Rigby Duncan, 1st Vice President
All of us constantly interact with friends, neighbors, and co-workers on a daily basis who are not members of a garden club. What a wonderful opportunity to talk-up “garden clubbing.” What we say to them, how we say it, the impression we give of our club in conversations all go a long way toward getting that particular person to think about joining. Keep in mind that we are all responsible for getting new members to join our individual garden clubs. In the eyes of the community, we are The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. and The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. – and membership means YOU and me!

LEGISLATIVE Rachel Fowler 404-289-5892
I will again commend all who became involved during the 2006 legislative session with your presence, your phone calls, letters or emails. We had a successful session not just for The Garden Club of Georgia but also on several environmental issues. There is always success in numbers and we have the numbers. I know our members will rally again whenever they are called upon.  I appreciate the cooperation you have given me in the past. Be sure and vote in November. It’s important to your future. The persons who are elected make the laws we live by. It is not to be taken lightly.
 
LIBRARY Alice Boyd 770-938-8644
The books in our library have once more been arranged according to the library booklet, currently being reprinted.  It is hoped you will make use of this valuable resource for your programs and for your educational pleasure. Think about donating newer volumes as a gift or memorial. Contact me for any further information.
Be sure to check out the Garden Center Library

If you have a covered garbage pail in your kitchen, put a fabric-softener sheet in the bottom before putting in a plastic garbage bag. A pleasant smell fills the can.
MEMBERSHIP    Suzanne Doughtie 770-446-7697
Honor someone with a Life Membership in The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. Recognize those who have made valuable contributions in gardening or garden club work. Non-garden club persons such as friends, speakers or county officials are eligible. Memorials are encouraged as well. Include the $50.00 in your garden club budget for honoring a member with a Life Membership. The one-time $50.00 tax-deductible donation ensures the future existence of the Garden Center at Callanwolde. Become a Life Member and assure perpetual life for the Garden Center.
 
Include information on your honoree so it can be shared as we honor all Life Members at our February General Meeting.

Our page on Life Membership

MINI FLOWER SHOW  Tracy Trentadue 404-393-5592 Our Federation monthly meetings will be starting September 28th and with them comes mini-flower shows. I need garden clubs to volunteer to bring horticulture and designs. The months and themes are:
September “My Own Backyard.” 
October “Tried and Trowel.”
January  “Rhythm and Blues.” 
February “Seriously Simple.”
April “Let’s Celebrate.”
May “Gone With the Wind.” 

Margo Cuthbert - Dunwoody Garden Club - wins blue ribbon at the DF mini flower show

GARDEN CENTER/CONSERVATORY    Rita Compher 404-872-5730

Garden Center Funds
This fund is made up from your donations either in honor or in memory of someone, personal or club donation. Your generous donations are greatly appreciated and an investment in the future of the Conservatory/Garden Center. Please when making a donation add the name and address to whom the acknowledgement is to be sent.
 
Personal Donations:
Johnnie Berry, James Capps, Jean Givens, Glenndolyn Hallman, Sterling Hill, Chris Lutz, Joan Thornton and Joy Zaidan.

In Memory of: Donor:
Harriette Haller   DeKalb Federation
Harriette Haller   Joy Zaidan
Harriette Haller   Joan Thornton
Jerry Tubb DeKalb Federation
Joan Rafferty Rosa Capps
Joan Rafferty Lorraine Loftis
Joan Rafferty Rita T. Compher
Norma Lewis Rosa Capps
Gudrun Kind Jean and Banner Smith
John Ward Bennett Rita T. Compher
John Ward Bennett Lorraine Loftis
(Bess Hartley’s Father)
Mr. R. F. Rochwick Joan Thornton
Margaret Grace Moss Joan Thornton
Margaret Grace Moss Rita T. Compher
Margaret Grace Moss Margaret Lloyd
(Frances Bowen’s Sister)

The Garden Center sincerely thanks Sterling Hill for the many, many hours she has spent creating the beautiful Web Site for DeKalb Federation. Also, thanks to Joy Zaidan for all her time feeding information to Sterling. These two ladies deserve a lot of credit. So many state members have great comments on this Web Site.

Not only did they spend their summer working, three ladies have donated a complete computer plus to the Garden Center. Again, thanks to Sterling, Joy and Glenndolyn Hallman. We appreciate your donations very much. We are now part of the e-mail world.

Of interest to the clubs that meet in the Conservatory and those that plan for rentals, an engineering study is being done to solve the terrific heat problem. Even before this summer we knew we had a problem that needed to be fixed but were unable to come up with the solution. We were advised the best way to go about it was to hire a knowledgeable person to solve the problem. We know it will be costly but we owe it to our clubs and rentals to serve them correctly. It also will increase our rentals.  DeKalb Federation appreciates the Conservatory/Garden Center and need to make these needed improvements.

Many thanks to each and every one of you that joined in donating hats for Jamie’s Cancer Friends. A total of 175 hats were delivered to Children’s Health Care on North Druid Hills Road.  They were most appreciative. I don’t know if she made her wants of 500 hats but ours was a great part of her dream.  Thanks.

The Treasurer of each club receives a Newsletter.  Please if you are the Treasurer of your  club check and be sure your dues were paid for 2006. We still have eight outstanding for this period.  If your club was disbanded, please let us know.

The Garden Center will be open Wednesday, August 30th for Redbud District Awards program; Thursday August 31st, for DeKalb Federation Board Meeting. We will close for the Yellow Daisy Flower Show, September  8-10. Reopen with regular hours on Monday, September 11, 2006.

The Garden Center continues to need volunteers to work from 10 to 2 one day a month.  We need a Monday and Wednesday. However, most days can be arranged to fit one’s schedule. We need persons to work the 5th days. (That usually is about two times a year). If you can commit for a special day, we need substitutes who could fill in when a regular volunteer has a conflict. 

Edith Morton attending a Basic Design class at the Garden Center
WEBSITE The DeKalb Federation has a beautiful new website at http://www.dekalbfederation.com/.  It’s sure to be a winner on Awards night at the GCG convention in April!  Log on to learn more about The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, their projects, awards, history, calendar of events, rentals and membership. E-mail board members for quick answers to your questions.  Easy links are provided for Redbud District, GCG, NGC and other interesting gardening websites.  Download forms for awards, garden therapy patterns and information, life membership forms, etc.  http://www.dekalbfederation.com/ is your best resource for garden club information.  Use it and tell your garden club members about it, so they can become better informed. The computer guru responsible for the design of this outstanding website is Sterling Hill of the Dunwoody Garden Club.  Sterling has agreed to join the Board of Directors, serving in the capacity of webmaster.  Once you’ve accessed the website, be sure to e-mail Sterling at Sterling@DekalbFederation.com to thank her for all her hard work on the website. Thanks to inkind donations from Sterling Hill, Glenndolyn Hallman and Joy Zaidan, the Garden Center is now fully equipped with a computer setup. You may e-mail your requests for information or comments to Rita Compher, Garden Center Director, at Rita@DekalbFederation.com.

“Dad, guess what?  I’ve got my first part in a play,” said the budding young actor.  “I play the part of a man who has been married for 25 years.” “That’s a good start, son.  Just keep at it and one day you”ll get a speaking part.”
AWARDS WORKSHOP   Deanna McFarlan, Redbud District Awards Chairman
 “Challenges…An Opportunity to make a Difference on Awards Night at The Garden Club of Georgia 2007 Convention”
 
All clubs are invited to make plans to attend the Redbud District Awards Workshop at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Courtyard (980 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta 30306). This workshop is for Club Presidents, Club Awards Chairmen and anyone else who would like to learn more about how your club can be recognized for the projects you do.  Bring all of your questions. Led by the Redbud District Awards Chairmen and former GCG Awards Chairman, this will be a “hands-on” workshop with answers that will make your entries shine.  Answers to:
1. see where particular projects might fit in the best category
2. how to write a summary
3. how to use your photos
4. what to stress in your entry
5. how to make an entry - even if you feel you only have several small projects
6. what must be included to have a winning entry
7. and anything else you want to know!
 
By 12:30 PM we will treat you to an “Award-Winning Luncheon” so you can be on your way to making your club a winning club, empowered by a gastronomically satisfied state!
Please e-mail or call your reservations to Deanna@DeKalbFederation.com or 770-939-1282 before August 26th.

Awards Workshop presented by Redbud Awards Chairman Deanna McFarlan and Co-Chairman Janet McGinnis.
BASIC HORTICULTURE COURSE  Gail Berthe, Chairman
To:  All interested gardeners and participants in Basic Horticulture - Course 5, Improved Cultivars for Better Gardens
Monday, September 25, 2006
Farm Bureau Building Highway 19S in Zebulon
8:30 Registration and class begins at 9:00
Registration fee of $10.00 covers lunch and snacks
Register by September 20, with check payable to Concord Garden Club
 
This will be our next to last course of this six session course.  In my opinion it is one of the most interesting because it enables us to make better gardens! This is such a favorite topic of mine I have decided to teach the session myself!  We will be covering improved shrubs and trees, perennials, annuals and biennials and even vegetables.  The good and not so good aspects of improved cultivars will be presented as well as a discussion about how we get ‘better cultivars and varieties.’ 
·        What has been your experience with some of the new cultivars—are all of them really improved? 
·        Who says a new cultivar is improved—what are some of the criteria for selection as an improved cultivar?
·        Are there organizations we can depend on to give us good sound advice about new cultivars—what are they?
 
 If you have any questions please call me at 770 228 8849 or email at glberthe@aol.com.  Please note the new email address! Print out the Registration Form and I look forward to hearing from you.
Annual Redbud District Meeting…Tuesday, October 24, 2006  Joy Zaidan
 
All garden club members are cordially invited to attend Redbud’s 47th Annual District Meeting on October 24th at Stone Mountain Park as we go “Cruisin’ Through History”, celebrating 47 years of garden clubbing in Redbud District.  Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to have an outing with your club members, network with other garden club members and see what Redbud District has to offer. This historic meeting will be held aboard the Henry W. Grady Riverboat as we cruise around the lake, viewing the Grist Mill, the Carillon, the Covered Bridge, the Mountain and other points of interest.  Bring your camera because there will be lots of photo opportunities. We also have a surprise design program planned for your enjoyment—“Cruisin’ Creativity”. Visit the exhibits and ways and means tables on the riverboat. Relax and enjoy the cruise as you are served a traditional Southern picnic lunch. Dress casually and in layers and wear shoes with good traction. We will have coffee and registration from 9:00–10:00 AM, and the meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 AM. Don’t miss the boat, the riverboat that is! Get your registration in early, as space on the paddleboat is limited. Your registration fee includes FREE entry into the Park for the day. We look forward to having you join us for this fun-filled historic occasion. Click here for the registration form (pdf file) 
GCG LEGISLATION & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS  Mary Lovings
 
 A GCG Legislative Advocacy Handbook is finally a work in progress.  It should be available by Fall District Meetings and will be available for use and/or downloading from the GCG website. To make such a publication worthwhile, YOUR INPUT IS WANTED AND NEEDED; IT WILL BE A HANDBOOK FOR YOUR USE.  What do you want included? What do you want to know?  What do you wish you knew about when you begin to write or call your elected officials? Do you know why information about the same piece of legislation sometimes comes out on the LISTSERVES more than once?  Why do similar pieces of legislation seem to appear every year or so? And what does legislative advocacy have to do with garden clubs?
 
Please let me know at Mary@DeKalbFederation.com what it is you want to know. Please send your suggestions by September first to make sure they are included. 
 
Many thanks to each of you for sustained efforts during 2006 Session. Certificates for clubs with outstanding legislative advocacy participation this past session have been delayed - my geriatric computer has been replaced, and I'm learning the new one.

Your African Violets will bloom longer, prettier and more abundantly if you stick a few rusty nails in the soil alongside them.
 
Store your folding lawn chairs in a large plastic trash or leaf bag.  They won’t need scrubbing in the spring.

The DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. | 980-B Briarcliff Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30306-2618 | 404-872-5730 | Contact DF

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