The Seedling Garden Club ended its year with a picnic/meeting on Monday, May 13, 2024. The meeting was held at the beautiful home of Mrs. Imogene Buckley and Ms. Tammy Peebles. President Nancy Lisenby called the meeting to order at 5 p.m. and presided over a short business session. The 26 members present were welcomed and a thank you to hostesses, Imogene Buckley and Tammy Peebles. In the business session, Kay Peacock, treasurer, gave a report and it was approved as presented. No minutes from last meeting was presented. Nancy thanked all for their help with the flower show. It was a beautiful show and scored high enough to apply for a GCG Award. Paula Karrh gave several horticulture tips to help us get ready for the hot month of June. Yonna Bailey, Yard of the Month chairman, announced that the May Yard of the Month went to the home of Darlene and Kevin McDaniel located in Kite.
Members were invited to enjoy the array of delicious food prepared by the hostesses. Ann Peebles, Chaplain, blessed the food. The food was served from the beautiful large breakfast bar that included broccoli/rice/chicken casserole, marinaded carrots, stuffed eggs, Peg's layered salad, congealed orange delight, shoe peg corn salad and butter rolls. For dessert, cheesecake bites and coconut cookies were served. Members enjoyed the meal from tables set up under the covered patio overlooking the beautiful pool and beautiful landscape. The down pour of rain just added to the scene.
From President Lisenby's first gavel rap in September 2023 to the last gavel rap in May, the Seedling Garden Club has been very active. Club members enjoyed reminiscing the year they just ended. The following is just a few of the things SGC celebrated: delighted to welcome three new members, made donations to six of GCG projects, attended district awards and leadership workshops, attended Oleander District Meeting in Jesup, attended 2024 GCG State Convention, each month had fun, educational programs with horticultural tips included, gave Yard of the Month to deserving home owners, brightened outside of Emanuel County nursing home by planting plants in all outside containers, observed Veteran's Day by placing a wreath at the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker located at Emanuel County Courthouse, assisted Swainsboro Elementary 2nd graders with a "Pepper Palooza" (making floral designs using bell peppers), joined forces with "Keep Emanuel Beautiful by placing "Do Not Litter" signs and having program explaining the workings of this committee, observed Georgia Arbor Day by planting a tree at Swainsboro elementary school in memory of beloved deceased member, Ginny Smith, made field trip to Von and Carolyn Browns to pick grapes, visited Georgia Southern Botanical Garden, visited the vegetable garden of Phil Torrence, and planned and held a beautiful flower show in cooperation with the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club.
At the end of the year, members with perfect attendance is rewarded with a special gift. This year's awards went to the following: Martha Cobb, Cheryl Goodman, Diana Malone, Kay Peacock, Ann Peebles, Wanda Scarboro and Mary Ellen Smith.
The meeting ended with the annual gift exchange. This is always a favorite end of the year event. President Lisenby ended with a big thank you for everyone's support and participation for helping have a very good garden club year. Even though the club does not meet in the summer months, rest assured we will still be busy with projects.
Seedling Garden club is a member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Deep South Region, Inc., The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. and Oleander District III.