Designers Mass for Montclair Kids

Smiling in front of their lovely designs are, (l-r), Deb Hirsch, Olga Bequillard, Marie Donnelly, Barbara Baletti, Florence Leyssène, Brenda Bingham, Celia Radek, and Sarah Olson. Not shown because the photographer couldn't get them in the frame are Claire Kuch, Tova Narrett, and a very shy but excellent Member. Sue Young provided coffee and compliments.

Last Wednesday our talented flower designers gathered en masse in the Garden Room to create the centerpieces for the local organization IMANI's fundraiser held on Thursday.

For 25 years, IMANI, under the inspired leadership of JoAnn McCullough, has worked with over 5,500 Montclair kids of color to tackle the educational achievement gap with study groups and elementary student reading groups, SAT classes, and one-on-one assistance with college essays and applications.

As well as our Board supporting the group with an ad in the event Journal, Barbara Baletti organized our experienced designers to create the beautiful centerpieces for the event you can see here.

Unfortunately one of IMANI's logo colors is blue, so these experts had to ignore their training and the blue dye on their fingers to incorporate the only blue flowers in cold New Jersey into their sweet designs. The slideshow below shows most of them hard at work, and slideshow at the bottom of the page shows their creations in situ.

And here are the hugely admired creations at the event, transferred from the garden room with no accidents.