Membership Committee Reports Committees 2024-2025 — Cheryl Slutzky, Chair Membership remains steady at 130, including five Provisionals. In April, our flower designers wowed crowds at MAM’s Free First Thursday, attracting interest — and at least one very active new Member. At our May Awards Brunch, we honored three former Presidents as new Emeriti: Janet Oscar, Sarah Stransky, and Karen Whitehaus. Each of these wonderful women have made and continue to make extraordinary contributions to the Club. Dues collection for 2024–2025 followed the usual pattern — early birds and late bloomers — and I am happy to report all payments have been received. Thanks to all Committee Chairs, especially Flower Design, Horticulture, Avis Campbell, and Garden Therapy, for guiding Provisionals and making them welcome. A special plea: please pay dues by credit card and choose committees via our website. Save time and save a tree! 2024-2025 Members: Susan Brady, Tova Narrett, Brigitte Padberg, Kathy Sorkin, Sonyia Woloshyn. 2023-2024 — Cheryl Slutzky, Chair Membership in the Garden Club of Montclair is stable. Sadly, several beloved members have passed away, a few have resigned for personal reasons, and a few provisional members have had second thoughts due to work schedules. That being said, we continue to attract many interested individuals by way of recommendations from friends and through discovering our truly amazing website. Our website shows off our Club’s accomplishments and describes all we do as a vibrant organization that is constantly evolving. We began the year with 19 provisional members and it is exciting to be moving 10 of these members into active status. They have all worked hard to get there, each in their own individual way. We need every one of them to take an active role especially as we near the celebration of the Club’s 100th anniversary! The Membership Committee is a small group. It does not share the popularity of Garden Therapy, Avis Campbell Gardens, Hospitality, etc. For that reason, I will be welcoming a Vice Chair this year, Fran Ackerly. Fran, who is known for being the Chair of Flower Design and also a floral designer par excellence, will be joining the Membership Committee. She and I will be doing our best to reach every single member and to engage every member on this Committee to fully participate. If you decide to be on the Membership Committee you will advocate for new members. I am hoping to have participation at each and every monthly program as well. To my surprise, I’ve signed up for a second term. I guess I like my job. A big thank you to all the Committee Chairs, especially Flower Design, Horticulture, Avis Campbell, and Garden Therapy. Once again, you all helped to keep our provisional members current and on schedule. Your watchful eyes and encouraging words are appreciated! And once again, kudos to Communications Chair Sue Young for making the membership database available to me. Thank you to Floss O’Sullivan for diligently keeping all Committee Chairs and Officers up to date with her detailed meeting minutes. And a big Thank You to our President Sarah J. Olson for her patience and back-up. All I need now is the ability to deposit checks remotely, and I’m set. 2022-2023 — Cheryl Slutzky, Chair Without Members, we would not have our wonderful Garden Club of Montclair. We saw an influx of nineteen new Provisionals throughout this past year. Several had to withdraw for personal reasons, but we left the door open for their return. From this class, we welcome three new active Members ready to share their talents: Kathy Bachmann, Jacoba Coes, and Karen Fricke. It is vital to the Club's growth to have a rolling admissions policy. If someone is interested in becoming a Member in November or January, we want to welcome them so they can start fulfilling Provisional requirements. While Horticulture might be on hold during winter, there are plenty of workshops, events like Crane House decorating, and clerking for judges. Garden Therapy opportunities were very popular with Provisionals, building camaraderie and helping the Club to do community outreach. Thanks to Sue Young for making the Membership database available and simplifying sending out correspondence, renewing memberships, keeping the database current, and staying on track. I so appreciate all the Committee Chairs, especially Flower Design, Horticulture and Avis Campbell Gardens. You worked with me to keep our Provisionals current and on schedule. Your input and team effort helps us do our best to get to know new people while strengthening relationships with current Members, making everyone feel at home in The Garden Club of Montclair. 2021-2022 — Deborah Hirsch, Chair Despite our continued health crisis, our Membership continued to grow, with an outstanding group of new Provisionals and a wonderful new leader of Membership, Cheryl Slutzky, for the coming two years. This year we did enjoy some time together, and it was without doubt a welcome time. The kindness of our Committee Chairs provided two workshops on two weekends for Provisionals in the fall at Avis Campbell Gardens, in Flower Design and Horticulture. I learn something from every workshop and going back to basics is always informative. Our incredible team of leaders have brought us new Members, maintained a steady calendar of Programs, Workshops, Flower Design, and Horticulture shows, Garden Therapy events, opportunities to work in our gardens, and exceptional communication through our emails and first-rate website. We are working to make evenings and weekends a regular part of our offerings, as we have many Members working full-time who will stick with us if we do! I look forward to working on many committees and under the leadership of our new President, Sarah Stransky, even as we bid adieu to our dear Florence. Take a moment to review the list of new and ongoing Provisionals, as this year we will have an opportunity to get to know them in person, as they will get to know all our Active Members and Committee Chairs. 2020-2021 — Deborah Hirsch, Chair Would you like to know how it feels to be a member of the Garden Club of Montclair during the Pandemic? Remember when the Titanic was sinking and the band continue to play? Well, we are that band. Our members have been impacted in a myriad ways but the coming together for our in-person Awards meeting this May reminded us all of the importance of our relationships to one another, to our beautiful Avis Campbell and Triangle Gardens, to the educational yearning we seek, to the community we serve, and to the amazing resilience of our members, young and old. Welcome to the new Provisional class: Tracey Alampi, Betty Murphy, Virginia Woo, and Lauren Zodel. Inquiries continue to roll in and last year's Provisional class has for the most part stuck with us, lending a helping hand where they could during this shutdown in our lives. We will meet again in May of 2022 to celebrate our new members properly. Until then, thank you to the Membership committee who willingly reached out to our membership to check in throughout the year. 2019-2020 — Deborah Hirsch, Chair Our Membership has proven robust and flexible during this challenging year. Twenty-two Provisionals participated with enthusiasm from the beginning of the year. The Executive Committee unanimously agreed that they all be invited to become Active members for the coming year, since they were unable to complete their requirements because of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. The response was a rousing thank you! Please welcome our new Active members: Susan Brady, Elizabeth Burgess, Christina Cattell, Robert Chapman, Ellen Colton, Jessica Fleming, Sharon Karlson, Dorothy Meissner, Maureen Michaud, Sarah H. Olson, Jacqueline Rondeau, Barbara Schiavone, Florence Sinofsky, Wendy Stahl, and Sue Young. Thank you to their sponsors, and I hope you will continue to support them in their first year Active status. Please welcome our new Provisional class for 2020-2021 who have already taken advantage of opportunities to work outdoors in the Avis Campbell Gardens and Triangle Gardens: Joan Byrne, Nancy L. Herron, Eleni LaSenna, Laela Perkins, and Maryellen Stadtlander. Remember, we encourage Membership applications year round, so if you know of someone who would enjoy our Club, send them my way. I hope all our members will embrace the new year in its virtual form for the time being, as our Committee Chairs work hard to spin their magic in Design, Horticulture, Programs, Workshops, Education, and Garden Therapy for us to enjoy. Thank you to my Membership Committee for their support this year: Carol Callahan, Sarah Olson, Brigitte Padberg, Gretchen Prater, Denise Silverman, Kathy Sorkin, Judy Voccola. To Fran Wong, database wizard, for keeping our information up-to-date, thank you!

Letters from current and previous presidents of the Club Letters From Our Presidents Fran Ackerly, Incoming President 2025-2027 The Garden Club of Montclair Dear Members and Provisionals, I am honored to be the President of the Garden Club of Montclair for 2025–2027. I became an active member in 2015 and as each year goes by, I grow more proud to be a part of this wonderful organization. I am in awe of what our members’ determination and teamwork can accomplish, as evidenced by the transformation of the Church Street Circle, the successful Bricks Campaign, and the beautiful Avis Campbell Gardens and Triangle Gardens (about to be renamed the Church Street Gardens). This same determination and teamwork goes on “behind the scenes” by the Committees planning and presenting the many varied Club activities and programs. I am excited as I look ahead to the upcoming year. In 2026 the Garden Club of Montclair will celebrate its 100th Anniversary! Special events are being planned for our members and in our community. I know that together we will continue to move the Club ahead in new directions but always remain true to our mission of Education, Beautification & Fellowship. With warmest regards, Fran Ackerly Sarah Olson, Outgoing President The Garden Club of Montclair Dear Fellow Garden Club Members and Provisionals, What a remarkable year it has been—full of growth, change, and exciting accomplishments! We returned to our longtime home at 60 South Fullerton Avenue for programs, meetings, and workshops. Despite some challenges with construction and filming on-site, we adapted smoothly. Although we no longer have our dedicated Garden Club Room, the large properties room has been refreshed and reorganized, thanks to the efforts of our members. We also embraced a major shift in communication, moving away from multiple emails, the printed Yearbook, and the Potpourri newsletter. Instead, we have consolidated communications through our website —streamlining how we share information. Our social media presence has expanded significantly, with engaging posts and reels that showcase our activities and events. We have created a real buzz and have even been featured in the Montclair Local. In September, we kicked off the year with a vibrant Small Standard Flower Show. The creative, sustainable floral designs and beautiful horticultural exhibits were a highlight. October brought us another win—our “Mother Nature” scarecrow earned first place and a $500 prize. Throughout the year, our Garden Therapy and Youth Committees continued their meaningful outreach, and our garden volunteers worked hard to enhance the Avis Campbell Gardens and Triangle raised beds with new native plants. Thanks to a grant from the Montclair Foundation and our successful BRICKS-to-BRICKS Campaign, we will begin renovating the Avis Campbell pathways this fall for better accessibility. Our presence in the community has never been stronger. We participated in local events such as Montclair EarthFest, the Glen Ridge Eco-Fair, and the Montclair Art Museum’s Free First Thursday. We also began collaborating with the town to transform the Church Street roundabout into a native plant garden—our first of several upcoming community beautification projects. We closed the year with our Annual Meeting, where we celebrated members and honored The Montclair Foundation and the Placek Family Foundation with Community awards. Our coveted perpetual awards and our Bloomie awards for unsung heroes capped off the event. As I step down, I do so with deep appreciation and pride. Thank you for the opportunity to serve this incredible club. I look forward to supporting you as we celebrate our 100th Anniversary together. With appreciation, Sarah

Programs We hold programs throughout the year that are open to the community. We invite renown horticultural experts to speak to Club members on a variety of topics, and we welcome non-members to join us. There is no fee; a $5 -$10 donation per person is very much appreciated. Our meetings are held in the auditorium of the United Way Building, 60 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair. Urban Landscape Inspirations from Native Plant Communities 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, October 20, 2025 at 1PM Educated in Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at Cornell University, Ethan Dropkin has followed his love of plants since childhood and turned that into a career in landscape design. As an Associate and Horticulture Specialist with Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, Ethan focuses on native plants and landscapes while lecturing on horticulture and plants at large. He has a particular love of plants and plant communities that thrive in difficult conditions. His presentation will focus on how native plants and assemblages can be adapted to horticultural practice in the complicated urban landscape. Foam-Free Flower Design 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, November 17, 2025 at 1PM Owner of Rosaspina, an artisanal floral and event design studio in Montclair (her shop faces the newly planted circle on Church Street!), Lindsey Vandevier calls her aesthetic “artfully whimsical.” Her goal is to provide artistic floral creations that are never cookie cutter and always lush, sophisticated, and elegant. Lindsey will create two designs in real time while she talks us through her process. She’ll share her methods for making arrangements without floral foam, as well as tips for conditioning flowers. Lindsey will bring along a third design to explain, and then we’ll raffle all three! Planning Your Kitchen Garden 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, January 26, 2026 at 1PM Dani Scannella is the owner of The Backyard Garden Company in Cedar Grove. As a gardening consultant, Dani guides her clients through the process of planning, sowing, harvesting, and improving a home kitchen garden. She can also help turn around a garden that is under-producing. She’ll share her journey from the world of marketing to food production education; how to overcome the fear of beginning your own plot regardless of the space restrictions you face; and she’ll share gardening principles to get us all up to speed on growing our own food. Be sure to sign up for her Workshop, Seed Starting 101 for the Kitchen Garden , on Friday, February 20, 2026, 10AM to noon. Wild Hydrangeas for the Mid-Atlantic Region 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, February 23, 2026 at IPM As Manager of Horticultural Research at the Mt. Cuba Center, Sam Hoadley evaluates native plant species, old and new cultivars, and hybrids in the Trial Garden. Prior to working at Mt. Cuba, he was the lead horticulturist for Longwood Gardens Hillside Garden. He earned his degree in Sustainable Landscape Horticulture from the University of Vermont. Sam will share his knowledge about the native Mid-Atlantic alternatives we can consider rather than the ubiquitous Hydrangea macrophylla , the Big Leaf Hydrangea. Gardening for Hummingbirds 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, March 23, 2026, 1PM Duncan Himmelman earned his doctorate in Ornamental Horticulture at Cornell University. His career has taken him on a journey through horticulture: he taught college for 24 years, worked as the Education Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, managed a 20-acre estate in Greenwich, CT, designed landscapes for both private and public clients, and has contributed to many horticultural publications. He continues to design landscapes, promote ecologically focused gardening practices, and lecture on his passion, native plants. Duncan will help us explore the life cycle of the ruby-throated hummingbird and show us how to make our gardens a haven for these tiny flying jewels, including a great selection of native plants that provide food sources and nesting sites from spring to fall. One Hundred Years of History 60 S. Fullerton Avenue, Auditorium Monday, April 27, 2026, 1PM Let’s get ready to celebrate our upcoming 100th Birthday Year! This kick-off event will share the story of our beloved club from inception through today. Stay tuned for more exciting details!

Civic Beautification Watch a slideshow of dozens of efforts by Montclair business owners to win a coveted Garden Club award in 2019 for their efforts to beautify the streets of our town. We hope to bring back this project in 2022.

Donate Thank you for choosing to support the Garden Club of Montclair. Please use the form below to contribute to our general fund, or specifically to the Avis Campbell Garden, funded and maintained by the Club. You can also choose to make your donation in honor of, or in memory of, someone dear to you. If you prefer to send a check directly to our Treasurer, Bob Chapman, please email him directly for instructions.. You can also talk to Bob at 973-746-0965 about other types of giving, such as a gift of stock or a legacy. Donate to the Club Online First name Last name Email Phone Street Address Street Address Line 2 City State Zip I would like to donate in the name of Please apply my donation to General support for the Club Specific assistance to Avis Campbell Garden Is there anything more you would like to add? Enter the amount you wish to donate: $ Donate Thank you so much for supporting our Club!

Nominating Committee Reports Committees 2024-2025 —Tova Narrett, Chair The Nominating Committee met in early January. Over the next six weeks, members worked together to successfully recruit candidates to fill 12 important Club positions on the Board. 2024-2025 Committee: Cynthia Corhan-Aitken; Marie Donnelly; Sarah J. Olson; Celia Radek; Cheryl Slutzky; Maureen Sprong; Sue Young; Marilyn Zaret. 2023-2024 — Barbara Baletti, Chair The Nominating Committee began its efforts to prepare a slate of Officers and Chairs in early December 2023 and continued through March 2024 through email correspondence, Zoom meetings, and telephone/text outreach. Our “NomCom” made an effort to understand the responsibilities of Committee Chairs which helped to target and recruit members to fill specific Chair positions. The slate of Officer and Chair Positions presented to the Board of Trustees in April included candidates for: 1st VP Membership, 3rd VP Finance, Recording Secretary (one year), Avis Campbell Gardens, Civic/Environment (one year), Facilities, Flower Design, Horticulture, Hospitality, Potpourri, Nominating, Properties, Ways and Means, and Workshops. In addition to these Board/Chair positions, new members were suggested for the Finance Committee. Committee members did an outstanding job, and thanks go to all the Garden Club of Montclair members who agreed to accept these positions. Recruiting such qualified nominees is not an easy task, but the team I had to work with did an amazing job. They were responsive, reliable, and forward thinking.They cast a wide net this year and were able to bring on board both experienced individuals and new bounty. I thank them all: Terri Breen, Tova Narrett, Denise Silverman, Cheryl Slutzky, Amy South, Nancy Stroud, and Virginia Woo. I would also like to give special thanks to Sarah Olson, our President and greatest asset, who does not just preside but who produces. 2022-2023 — Susan Straten, Chair The Nominating Committee met seven times by Zoom to fill the following Officer and Committee Chair positions: President, 2nd Vice President/Communications, Recording Secretary, Avis Campbell Gardens & Grounds, Triangle Gardens, Garden Therapy, Program, and Youth. Working with these committee Chair candidates, we appointed Vice Chairs for each of their committees. In addition, we nominated two members to the Finance Committee and six members to the Nominating Committee. We selected Barbara Baletti from this year's Committee to chair the Nominating Committee next year. Our team was excited to present a strong group of leaders to the membership for their approval. I want to thank the Committee Members Barbara Baletti, Marie Donnelly, Floss O'Sullivan, Marilyn Zaret, and our ex-officio members Cheryl Slutzky, Membership Chair, and President Sarah Stransky for their conscientiousness and commitment to our charge. Their willingness to share their insights and to make some of the "asks" was most appreciated. The way this committee worked together in such a thoughtful and efficient manner is an example of why our Club is so great! 2021-2022 — Karen Kadus, Chair The 2021-2022 Nominating Committee began its work in June and continued through January to prepare a slate of Officers and Committee Chairs to serve in leadership positions in The Garden Club of Montclair. The nominations were forwarded to the Board of Trustees in February. Due to the ongoing pandemic, all meetings were held on Zoom. The committee filled the following leadership positions of Officers, Committee Chairs and Vice Chairs for 2022-2024: President (one year), 1st Vice President Membership, 3rd Vice President Finance, Recording Secretary (one year), Avis Campbell Gardens, Civic Beautification, Facilities, Flower Design, Horticulture, Hospitality, Newsletter Potpourri, Nominating, Properties,Ways and Means, Workshops, and Yearbook. We also nominated candidates to serve on the Finance Committee and the Nominating Committee. Many thanks to our committee Members Lissa Barrett, Susan Brady, Susan Dumont, Kate Khachaturian, Sara H. Olson and Maureen Sprong for their thoughtful discussions and outreach to potential candidates. Thanks also to ex-officio Members Cheryl Slutzky, Membership, and Florence Leyssène, President, for their invaluable advice and dedication to our Garden Club. Sarah Stransky, who served as President from 2001 to 2003, graciously agreed to accept the position of President for one year. Susan Straten will be the next Nominating Chair. 2020-2021 — Susan Benner, Chair The 2020/2021 Nominating Committee worked throughout the year to prepare a slate of accomplished candidates to serve the Garden Club of Montclair in leadership positions. I would like to thank Deborah Hirsch, Floss O’Sullivan, Karen Kadus, Michele Trevenen, Susan van Inwegen, and Susan Straten for all their hard work over Zoom and through personal calls to members. Special thanks to Florence Leyssène who attended all meetings and provided sound advice and guidance throughout the year. Despite challenges caused by the pandemic, the Committee successfully filled the following positions of Officers and Committee Chairs for the upcoming term: President, Communication, Recording Secretary, Program, Garden Therapy, Triangle Garden, Yearbook, Youth, Avis Campbell Gardens, Nominating and Finance Committee members. Special efforts were made to secure Vice-Chair positions for the following positions: Membership, Program, Garden Therapy, Triangle Garden, Youth, Avis Campbell Gardens. Due to the pandemic, the Committee felt that the Club would benefit if Florence Leyssène could continue as President for a third year. The Committee requested and received a change in the By-laws to allow this extension. Florence graciously accepted the position and we are fortunate that the Club will have her experience for another year. Since the Nominating Committee makes personal contact with members, the Membership Vice-Chair has been asked to participate in future meetings. 2019-2020 — Terri Breen, Chair The 2019-2020 Nominating Committee worked throughout the fall and winter to prepare a slate of accomplished candidates to serve The Garden Club of Montclair in leadership positions. I'd like to thank Fran Ackerly, Claire Stepleton, Jackie Kling, Susan Benner, Lori Vick, and Sarah Stransky for all your hard work. The Committee successfully filled the following positions of Officers and Committee Chairs for the term 2020-2022: Finance, Civic Beautification, Hospitality, Ways and Means, Properties, Newsletter, Flower Design, Workshop, and Horticulture. The new position of 'President-Elect' was created with a job description and responsibilities defined and voted on by the Executive Committee and, then ultimately, the Membership. We were fortunate our President, and previous Nominating Chair, Florence Leyssène, attended every meeting and provided methodical direction and sound advice throughout the year. Thank you, Florence. I'd also like to thank Deborah Hirsch who served as a consultant to our committee to develop the new President-Elect position.

Galleries Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony May 28, 2021 Provisional Flower Design Workshop September 26, 2021 OASIS - A Haven for Women and Children October 13, 2021

Working With Our Youth This committee is unique — offering the opportunity to spark the same enthusiasm that brought us to join the Garden Club in a new generation. Through activities that introduce young people to the basic principles of gardening, design, ecology, and conservation we hope to encourage participants to develop a life-long love of gardens, a direct appreciation of horticulture's therapeutic effects and an understanding of the importance of plants to our planet.

Potpourri Committee Reports Committees 2023-2024 — Terri Breen, Editor The eight issues of Potpourri, published this year, documented and celebrated our members’ successes and achievements, community service contributions and educational events. Potpourri also serves as our Club’s historical archive, recording Flower Design, Horticulture, and Botanical Arts achievements and awards. Most of our members receive a full-color newsletter via email, while approximately 20 members receive a black-and-white hardcopy by mail. The emailed version includes links that allow members to connect directly to information on our website and other informative sites. I consider myself fortunate to have the assistance of several very special women. Thank you, Marilyn Zaret for picking up (from the printer), labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hard copy members’ list every month. Thank you to Barbara Baletti for her creative editorial contributions. And a special thanks to Fran Wong, who oversees the monthly email blasts of Potpourri and has also patiently helped me navigate thorny tech issues. 2022-2023 — Terri Breen, Editor The eight issues of Potpourri published this year documented and celebrated our Membership's successes and achievements, our community service contributions, and our educational events. Potpourri also serves as our Club's historical archive by documenting Flower Design, Horticulture, and Botanical Arts results and awards. The majority of our Members receive a full-color newsletter via email, while approximately twenty members receive a mailed hardcopy in black and white. Via links in our emailed version, Members can connect directly to information on our website and other informative websites. I consider myself fortunate to have the assistance of some very special women. Thank you to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list every month. Thank you to Barbara Baletti for her creative editorial contributions. This year, Barbara created a new fun and upbeat "column" called Grapevine that we hope to expand next year. Finally, special thanks to Fran Wong who not only oversees the monthly email blasts of Potpourri, but has patiently helped me through some thorny technical issues. 2021-2022 — Terri Breen, Editor; Claire Stepleton, Karen Whitehaus, Co-Editors Potpourri provides the Club's membership with information on upcoming events including outings, workshops, programs, community service activities, and celebrations. It serves as the Club's historical archive by documenting flower design and horticulture results, awards, and events. We make the newsletter colorful and interesting with photos that illustrate the talent, hard work, and successes of our membership. To keep Potpourri fresh and informative, Members are encouraged to provide feedback, suggestions, and always-photos! With pandemic restrictions this year, Potpourri was an important way to communicate meeting and location changes to our membership. Eight issues of Potpourri were published this year with December-January and May-June combined into one issue. Most Members receive the newsletter via email. Currently, 28 Members receive hardcopy. Special thanks to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list. The newsletter is also available in the protected section of our website at: gardenclubofmontclair.com/potpourri . Please email Sue Young to obtain access. Terri Breen will resume her position as Potpourri Editor next year. Good luck, Terri! 2020-2021 — Terri Breen, Editor For 2020-2021, seven issues of Potpourri were published. The majority of issues were sent to our Membership via email and 28 copies were sent snail mail. This was a decrease from prior years resulting in a savings in our printing and postage costs. As a Committee, we decided to change the deadline for articles due from the 1st of the month to the 15th of the month. Committee chairs will see this change in the new Yearbook calendar. I would like to thank Committee members Marilyn Zaret, who has been responsible for our monthly mailing, and Karen Whitehaus for meticulously proofreading and correcting my initial drafts. It has been a pleasure working with these women. 2019-2020 — Debbie Moran, Chair Potpourri provides the Garden Club of Montclair Membership with information about upcoming events including outings, Workshops, Programs, community service activities, and celebrations. It also serves as the Club's historical archive by documenting Flower Design and Horticulture Competition results, awards, and event recaps. We try to make the newsletter colorful and interesting with photos that illustrate the talent, hard work, and successes of our Membership. We constantly strive to enhance Potpourri so members are invited to provide feedback and suggestions to keep it new and informative. Seven issues of Potpourri were published during the Program year with December-February combined into one issue and May-June into one issue. The Newsletter was an especially valuable communication tool this year during the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in the cancellation of most Club activities after mid-March. Most members receive the Newsletter via email. Currently, 29 members receive hardcopy via US mail. Special thanks go to Karen Whitehaus for proofreading every issue and to Marilyn Zaret for picking up, labeling, and mailing Potpourri to our hardcopy list. The Newsletter is also available for viewing and download on this website . It's been a great honor to be the editor of Potpourri the last two years. We are so fortunate to have Terri Breen taking the helm; I know she will enjoy the "job" as much as I did! Welcome, Terri!

Calendar Garden Club of Montclair events have green dates; NGC, CAR-SGC, and GCNJ events appear as purple dates.

Finance Committee Reports Committees 2024-2025 — Bob Chapman, Treasurer and Chair From a financial perspective, it has been a good year: Membership dues are back to normal, we have strong assets to protect our future, and we had good participation from Committee leaders in preparing the budget for our next year. We are attracting more grants and donations than ever before: $7,700 in memorial donations and grants from the BID ($4,000) and the Montclair Foundation ($2,000). We renewed our maturing CD at Bank of America with a new $41,000 CD at Valley Bank, which had a much better rate: 4% APY, maturing Jan 26, 2026. We have purchased QuickBooks Online for better reporting and access. We have added two new categories (Committees) to the financial information: o Donations Made: Tracks donations to outside organizations o Memorial Committee Expenses. 024-2025 Committee: Lissa Barrett, Susan Benner, Karen Kadus, Imke Oster, Nancy Stroud. 2023-2024 — Bob Chapman, Treasurer and Chair We try to keep the finances of GCM really boring: when Finances get exciting, you’re in real trouble! I am happy to say that we have done a pretty good job of “boring” this year. When our approximately $75,000 of CDs matured this year, we rolled them over at the same bank and for about the same annual yield. There weren’t a lot of different options in the marketplace. We are happy to have the income from these investments. We used some funds from savings to replace a vandalized bench at ACG and committed funds to the Triangle Gardens rehab project, which has largely been funded from grants and donations. Probably the most interesting item of the year is that we are apparently exempt now from paying rent and, instead, reserve the meeting rooms we need, including the auditorium, using the building's master reservation system. 2022-2023 — Bob Chapman, Treasurer and Chair The Finance Committee met three times this year by email and Zoom to discuss financial reporting, next year's budget, and investment decisions. It was decided that with the higher interest rates now available in these inflationary times, we should be investing in either T-Bills or CDs. In May we chose CDs of 7-month and 13-month duration. GCM is holding funds that have been donated in memory of several people. One of those amounts was dispensed this year, and we now have a better accounting as to the purpose of the others. The 2023-2024 budget was presented to the Board in March, reviewed and modified through meetings in April and May, and approved at the June Board meeting. We now have a better records-retention arrangement for financial information with solid offsite storage, and improvements in our non-financial records. 2021-2022 — Susan Straten, Treasurer and Chair The Finance Committee met three times this year to discuss the disposition of our savings/endowment, ideas for fund raising suggested by the Ways and Means Committee, and the preparation of the 2022-2023 budget. Our CD at Haven Savings Bank came due February 4th. It was decided not to roll it over and wait to invest the funds, pending improved interest rates. The funds were deposited into our Bank of America savings account. The Garden Club of Montclair was the recipient of many donations in memory of Larry Whitehaus, husband of member Karen Whitehaus, who passed away in May of 2021. The money has been earmarked for repairing the pathways in Avis Campbell Gardens. The Finance Committee presented the initial budget for 2022-2023 at the March Board meeting. Amendments were made then and after further discussions at the April and May Board meetings. The budget for 2022-2023 was approved by the new Board at its first meeting in June. 2020-2021 — Susan Straten, Treasurer and Chair Year-end actual expenses vs income came in $572 under budget due to the lack of activity of a number of Committees. The Finance Committee met several times to create the budget for 2021-2022. It became clear that dues income and random contributions would be insufficient in the future to support the needs of our expanding Committee activities. The Finance Committee recommended that the Ways and Means Committee explore fundraising opportunities which would bring in an additional $3,000-5,000 each year. Ted O'Dell, CPA, is reviewing our books for 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and will prepare our 2019 and 2020 Tax returns which are due October 1, 2021. We welcome Class of 2023 Bob Chapman and Maureen Michaud to the Finance Committee. 2019-2020 — Tessie Thomas, Treasurer and Chair When the COVID-19 crisis hit, I was amazed how quickly GCM went digital. When I created the ballot for virtual elections, I was thinking, "This was not in our plans!" Over two years in the Treasurer role (and the previous two as Editor of Potpourri), my mantra was automate and digitize. This pandemic just accelerated the whole plan. GCM continues to celebrate nature and make the world a more beautiful place for all. To me, GCM is a reminder of all that is normal and good in the world. There is a natural selflessness in what GCM does — a powerful reminder that collectively we can overcome anything, even a pandemic. As a mother of two teenagers with active sports and academic schedules, along with my work with other nonprofits, I am grateful for the support and inspiration from GCM Board and the Membership. In the work as Treasurer, we continued to build upon the themes of simplifying and digitizing. Nothing gave me more pleasure than instances where we were able to save many a lot of time and effort - even when it was a simple thing like taking a picture of a bill and emailing it to me rather than dropping the bill to my home or mailing it. We continued using Quicken accounting software and stuck to cash accounting. We filed taxes successfully and in a timely manner. We are on strong financial grounds. Despite all the sudden cancellations of plans and programs, we ended the year with $82,619.67: We made the budgeting process even more transparent with inputs over Zoom and buy-in from all the Committee Chairs before settling on the budget with the Finance Committee. After all that hard work, I handed over the keys to Susan Straten. Needless to say, the transition is straightforward as she has been my helpline and mentor! GCM remains fiscally strong. Account 2019 2020 CD $40,315.00 $41,403.98 Savings account $27,053.00 $25,112.87 Checking account $23,986.00 $16,102.82

Visit more of our projects: Art in Bloom Avis Campbell Gardens Boutique Civic Beautification Crane House Garden Therapy Open Gardens Social Events Triangle Gardens Trips and Outings Youth Projects Art in Bloom Art in Bloom is a biennial exhibition that brings spring to life at the Montclair Art Museum. Club members create unique, harmonious, and thought-provoking floral designs to complement their assigned work of art. See the designs of 25 of our members in 2024 , and some of the exquisite past designs on the MAM website , and see the 2022 glories .

This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. < Back Entering a new era of IoT Derek Wells Mar 18, 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Previous Next

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Triangle Gardens Committee Reports Triangle Gardens are the raised planting beds along Church Street and at the corner of Fullerton Avenue. Members and provisionals plant in the spring and maintain through the summer and fall, turning downtown Montclair into an oasis taken for granted by residents and visitors. The Business Improvement District partners with the club, supplying funds and maintenance assistance during the growing season. November 8, 2022 Ten Garden Club members, including several enthusiastic provisionals "elected" to meet and quickly plant hundreds of tulip bulbs in the Church Street Planters on Election Day morning. A huge round of applause for Jamie Chase for preparing each planter with the patterned placement of tulip bulbs so that the actual planting was a breeze! Betty Murphy, Co-Chair Summer 2021

Past Presidents President Years Served Fran Ackerly 2025- Sarah J. Olson 2023-2025 Sarah Stransky 2022-2023 Florence Leyssène 2019-2022 Susan Straten 2017-2019 Deborah Hirsch 2015-2017 Michele Quinn 2013-2015 Kate Khachaturian 2011-2013 Karen R. Whitehaus 2009-2011 Gretchen Prater 2007-2009 Firth Fabend 2005-2007 Rita Berkowitz 2003-2005 Sarah Stransky 2001-2003 Pat Green 1999-2001 Lynda Henderson 1997-1999 C.Y. Treene 1995-1997 Barbara Meyer 1993-1995 Barbara Etherington 1991-1993 Sue Swick 1989-1991 Mrs. Roger Wm. Young 1987-1989 Mrs. William A. Dodd 1985-1987 Mrs. John R. McGeown 1983-1985 Mrs. Frank P. Marano 1981-1983 Mrs. Thomas M. Wells 1979-1981 Mrs. Richard I. Bonsal 1977-1979 Mrs. K. Philip Dresdner 1975-1977 Mrs. G. Warren French 1973-1975 Mrs. Robert C. Dallery 1971-1973 Mrs. Russell M. Cook 1969-1971 Mrs. Duane E. Minard Jr. 1967-1969 Mrs. John T. Wooster 1965-1967 Mrs. George Oliphant 1963-1965 Mrs. T. Campbell Hooton 1961-1963 Mrs. H. Finney 1959-1961 Mrs. O.C. Kappelman 1957-1959 Mrs. Karl M. Mann 1955-1957 Mrs. H. St. John Webb 1953-1955 Mrs. Robert McNeil Jr. 1949-1953 Mrs. C. Colton Tuttle 1947-1949 Mrs. Charles G. Keller 1945-1947 Mrs. Ralph Bristol 1941-1945 Mrs. Sydney Fiske 1939-1941 Mrs. William Morgan 1935-1939 Mrs. Percy Allen 1931-1935 Mrs. L.N. DeVausney 1927-1931 Mrs. Preston T. Kelsey 1926-1926

Botanical Arts Schedule Open to all levels. All tables are 30" high and covered with ivory linen. See monthly schedule, below. As dates pass, they move to the bottom of this page. Check all rules for Botanical Arts - Horticulture, Design, Artistic Crafts, Photography. See also NGC Handbook for Flower Shows . Need a refresher prior to GCM's monthly competitions? We have online videos to help, featuring Florence Leyssène and Debbie Moran, NGC accredited Master Flower Show Judges. October 20, 2025 Register with Florence Leyssène by Thursday, October 16 . ARTISTIC CRAFTS: Breast 'In Plants' 4 entries October is Breast Cancer awareness month. A Decorated Bra or Sports Bra. Hung on a hanger provided by exhibitor, staged on metallic grid; frame of reference: 20” L x 10” H. Viewed from front. Bra or sports bra may not need to be all covered with plant material. Designer’s choice of plant material and components. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card. November 17, 2025 Register with Florence Leyssène by Wednesday, November 13. ARTISTIC CRAFTS: Sharing With Guests 4 entries A Decorated Bottle of Wine to bring to your friends for the holidays. Label may be visible, bottle no bigger than 750 ml and must be unopened. Non plant material may be used for construction, but must not show. Designer’s Choice of plant material and components. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card. Staged on table 30”high covered off-white; frame of reference: 18” x 18” . Underlay optional. January 26, 2026 Register with Florence Leyssène by Thursday, January 22 ARTISTIC CRAFTS: Getting Ready for Valentine's Day 4 entries A Decorated Purse provided by exhibitor, no larger than 10”. Purse should be standing in an upright position, staged on table 30” high covered with off-white. Purse should be completely covered with plant material and optional components. Designer’s choice of plant material and other components. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card. Staged on table 30”high covered off-white; frame of reference: 18” x 18” PHOTOGRAPHY: Winter Weekend 4 entries A black and white photograph of a winter scenery. Must be 8” x !0”, matted in white, with a maximum size of 11” x 14” including the mat provided by exhibitor. Staged on a table using an easel provided by exhibitor. February 23, 2026 Register with Florence Leyssène by Thursday, February 19. DESIGN: Let Your Imagination Soar! 4 entries An Exploration Freedom of Style Design. See Handbook for Flower Shows , p.94. Stages on a table 30" high, covered in off-white; frame of reference: 24" x 24", no height restriction on what can be done to the plant material. This is the only class permitting treatment of fresh plant material such as painting, flocking, dyeing, using wash tape and wrapping fresh plant matierial. Plant material must be identified with binomial names of a 3" x 5" index card. ARTISTIC CRAFTS: Ultimate Updo 4 entries A Decorated Hair Comb , provided by exhibitor, no larger than 5” in any measurements. Designer’s choice of plant material and components. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card. Staged on white cube 9” x 9” x 9” on table 30”high covered off-white. March 23, 2026 Register with Florence Leyssène by Thursday, March 19. DESIGN: Ides of March 4 entries A Collage, an abstract design, See Handbook for Flower Shows , p.93, created on a background panel no larger than 8” x 10” provided by exhibitor, with a dominance of components attached in a non-realistic manner. Components include plant material and other found objects. Staged in upright position on easel provided by committee. Designer’s Choice of plant material and components. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card. Staged on a shelf at approximate eye level. Exhibitor must provide easel for display. PHOTOGRAPHY: Through the Magnifier 4 entries Macro photograph of flower or foliage. Must be 8” x 10”, matted in white, with a maximum size of 11” x 14” including the mat provided by exhibitor. Staged on a table using an easel provided by exhibitor. April 27, 2026 Register with Florence Leyssène by Thursday, April 23 . ARTISTIC CRAFTS: Garden Stroll 4 entries Decorated Sun Glasses provided by exhibitor. Must be wearable. Designer’s choice of plant material and components. Staged on white cube 9” x 9” x 9” on table 30”high covered off-white. Plant material must be identified with binomial names on a 3” x 5” index card.

Youth Committee Reports Committees 2024-2025 — Donna Karanja, Chair; Susan Straten, Vice Chair This year, the Youth Committee continued working with two long-term partners, Deron School and the Montclair High School Transition program, while also exploring possible new partnerships with other youth groups. In November, we planted tulips at Mountainside Hospital with Deron students and staff and at the YMCA with MHS students and staff. We are grateful to May in Montclair and its tulip chairperson Celia Radek for providing the bulbs. In April, we created jars of potpourri with Deron School students and teachers in their classroom. We met several times during the year with the education staff of Van Vleck House and Gardens to discuss ways we could help with their existing youth-centered programs or present activities of our own on their site. In June, we taught children how to create simple paper flowers as part of Van Vleck's "Sunflowers and Summer Blooms" family day. We have reached out to two local elementary schools and hope to provide activities for them as well as for our existing partners in the coming year. 2024-2025 Committee: Nancy Foster, Grete Scheidl, Allyn Young. 2023-2024 — Donna Karanja, Chair; Susan Straten, Vice Chair Throughout most of the past year the Youth Committee continued to work on rebuilding community relationships that had been disrupted by the long Covid shutdown and on developing new partnerships in and around Montclair. In November we spent two mornings with students and staff from Deron School and Montclair High’s Transition Program planting tulips at Mountainside Hospital and the YMCA. The bulbs for this long-time Youth Committee tradition were provided by the May in Montclair Tulip Committee through its chairperson, GCM’s Celia Radek. After the tulips were planted, things were quiet for our committee until early spring when we suddenly received positive responses from three groups which we had contacted much earlier in the year. Between late April and mid-May we created floral designs with teenagers at Deron School, planted succulent container gardens with fourth graders at Kelly School, West Orange, and taught basic plant identification and potting skills to local fifth grade Girl Scouts at Avis Campbell Gardens. We were delighted by the young people’s enthusiastic participation in these projects; and their leaders provided very positive feedback. Another exciting event in the spring was a meeting we initiated with Van Vleck staff members to discuss partnering with them for a few activities next year. We had a great time brainstorming with Van Vleck’s Director of Education, Michelle Weissner and Environmental Educator, Kelsey Sirica. We look forward to developing projects with them in the months ahead. Overall, our committee ended the year on a high note, resurrected and eager to build on our successes in the year to come. 2022-2023 — Debbie Fitzpatrick, Chair; Donna Karanja, Vice Chair In fall 2023, the on-going pandemic continued to limit opportunities for our committee to work directly with children, especially indoors. We were very happy that Deron School students and staff agreed to join us on a crisp November morning for our traditional tulip planting project at Mountainside Hospital. Many thanks to Celia Radek and "May in Montclair" for once again providing the bulbs for this activity! The rest of our activities this year have involved consulting with youth leaders to plan for the coming year. Sue Straten and Donna Karanja have been in regular contact with Watchung School teacher Drury Thorp about the progress of the school's Connected Courtyard, a project that several GCM members contributed to in prior years. Sue and Donna visited the Courtyard in April and were delighted to see the once overgrown area converted into a beautiful outdoor classroom filled with native plants, weather-proof tables and benches, and hands-on learning centers. Our committee plans to continue supporting Watchung's outdoor classroom in the coming year by suggesting learning activities and helping teachers implement them. Donna has been talking to two local Girl Scout leaders about activities our committee could do with them. We are excited about developing these new relationships and sharing the joys of the plant world with children and their leaders. 2021-2022 — Debbie Fitzpatrick, Chair; Donna Karanja, Vice Chair The Youth Committee's annual tulip bulb planting took place in November 2021. Students from the Deron School in Montclair helped plant tulip bulbs along with Youth Committee Members and GCM volunteers at Mountainside Hospital. In addition, students from the Community-Based Instruction (CBI) Program at Montclair High School and Club volunteers helped plant bubs at the Park Street YMCA. A special thank you to Celia Radek and "May in Montclair " for providing the bulbs! Youth Committee Members also assisted the Garden Therapy Committee in November at the "Good Grows Here" celebration at Van Vleck House & Gardens. They helped families create crafts and seasonal, natural material centerpieces to keep and to donate to "Sharon's Harvest" Thanksgiving guests at Toni's Kitchen. Our primary anticipated project this year was working with Watchung School to develop a landscape plan for its outdoor classroom. Watchung School received a $10,000 award from the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Grant Program for its Connected Courtyard Project. The school has hired a landscaper and work is scheduled to begin in late August. No further assistance is needed from the Garden Club at this time. We had also planned to offer flower design workshops to local Scouting organizations. Activities and opportunities to work with both local schools and organizations were limited due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns this past year. 2020-2021 — Nancy Foster, Chair; Susan Straten, Vice Chair Our annual tulip planting took place in November 2020. Traditionally, students from the Deron School help plant about 200 pink tulip bulbs in front of the Oncology Clinic at Mountainside Hospital. The students could not come this year because of COVID. Many, many thanks to Nancy Sweetser and her family who volunteered and completed the planting! The main project this year was working with Watchung School to develop a landscape plan for an “outdoor classroom” in its courtyard. Suzy Straten, Deb Hirsch, Maureen Sprong, Sarah Olson, Barb Baletti, Claire Stepleton, and Susan Dumont met many times during the winter months with Drury Thorp and Sarah Paulsen from Watchung School to develop this plan. Cynthia Corhan-Aitken provided invaluable expertise, including landscape design and plant selection recommendations. Watchung School received a $10,000 grant from the Sustainable Jersey for Schools Grant for their “Connected Courtyard” project. Additional fund-raising and implementation of the Connected Courtyard will continue next year. We had planned to again offer flower design classes to local Girl Scout troops to provide an opportunity for participants to enter designs in the Garden Club’s Flower Show. Eight classes were scheduled to take place in the spring, but due to COVID only one workshop took place. The goal of assessing the status of Pollinator Gardens in Montclair’s elementary schools and following up with a plan to implement them was deferred because of COVID constraints. Thanks to our enthusiastic and determined Committee, we made it through the pandemic challenges and had a successful year! 2019-2020 — Nancy Foster, Chair; Susan Straten, Vice Chair Nancy Sweetser again organized a very successful pink tulip bulb planting at the Oncology Center at Mountainside Hospital. On November 6, students from the Deron School enthusiastically planted over 200 bulbs. The Youth Committee identified three projects to pursue for the year: Develop a landscape plan for Watchung School's Courtyard that incorporates a Native American teaching garden. A group consisting of Deb Hirsch, Maureen Sprong, Sarah Olson, Barb Baletti, Claire Stepleton, and Susan Dumont met many times during the winter and, working with Drury Thorpe and Sarah Paulsen from Watchung School, developed a plan for the courtyard which features an outdoor classroom/lunch area, teaching stations and utilizes native species. A few final touches have yet to be made, but the plan has been enthusiastically received by the school and they are seeking funding to execute the plan. Offer Flower Design classes to local Girl Scout troops and provide an opportunity for participants to enter a design in September's Flower Show. Working through the Girl Scout Council, we had 10 local troops express interest in doing a Flower Design workshop. We had eight scheduled to take place in March, April and early May. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, only one workshop took place. We will try again in the fall. Floss O'Sullivan, Susan Benner, Susan Dumont, Marilyn Zaret, Sarah Olson, and Terri Breen volunteered to run workshops Assess the status of Pollinator Gardens in Montclair's elementary schools and follow up with a plan for schools that do not have them. This goal was also to be worked on in the ·spring and is deferred to next year.

< Back Gadget review: release of new Airy Pods Daniel Williams Mar 21, 2023 This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Your collection is already set up for you with fields and content. Add your own content or import it from a CSV file. Add fields for any type of content you want to display, such as rich text, images, and videos. Be sure to click Sync after making changes in a collection, so visitors can see your newest content on your live site. Previous Next