President’s Message

The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc.

Edith S. Nelson, President

“Paving the Pathway to the Future”

Congratulations and many thanks to Ann Fiel, National Garden Clubs, Inc., 2015 Convention Chairman, and Joan Wipperman, Convention Co-Chairman, and the members of the Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc., for hosting a wonderful National Convention.  We give a “Big Thanks” to all the South Atlantic Region members who helped make the 2015 NGC Convention a success.  We could not have done it without your help!  We thank each of you from the bottom of our hearts.

The theme for The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc., for 2015-2017 is “Paving the Pathway to the Future” with emphasis on Youth Gardening and Native Pollinator Conservation.  Our youth is our future and we especially want the pathway to lead to the encouragement of youth involvement.  If our youth becomes involved with conservation and environmental concerns, we will have a smoother pathway to the future.

Our garden clubs will be working within their own communities to explore ways to conserve pollinators through good gardening practices and the planting of pollinator and butterfly gardens and involving the youth.

Early reports of youth activities for Arbor Day and National Garden Week include children planting a flower garden at a local library with 17 children and 10 adults attending the program. Several clubs reported Arbor Day celebration with youth activities and tree planting ceremonies.

We are partnering with the Kentucky Governor’s office and the Kentucky Department of State Parks to encourage conservation of one of our most important resources our pollinators.  Governor Steve Bashear has designated September as Monarch Awareness Month.  Our first Butterfly and Native Plant Weekend will be held at Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, September 25-27.  Events will include seminars, field trips, plant sales and children’s activities on butterflies, native plants and native pollinators.

As the new president of the Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc., I am looking forward to Paving the Pathway to the Future with our members and enjoying an exciting and wonderful two years

Edith S. Nelson