2000 Summer BOD: Virginia Beach

February 21, 2022

Mina Wood held her first board meeting at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach on July 29, 2000. She welcomed new board members and provided a brief orientation to remind those present of their responsibilities as board members and as leaders of the Garden Club of Virginia.

She described GCV summer activities that included Horticulture Field Day in Harrisonburg, where one garden had a hillside of trillium and another garden, where the homeowner was growing test trees for the U.S. National Arboretum and the Lily Show in Roanoke, where the artistic best-in-show included a yellow hose from True Value Hardware.

Business reports included a concern by the Flower Shows Committee at the sight of empty, artistic InterClub pedestals at the recent Lily Show.

Historic Garden Week Chairman Helen Pinckney was pleased to announce that, despite rain during ten tours, 2000 HGW gross profits were the second highest in history. She also brought up the ongoing discussion of tour expenses. In new HGW developments, Princess Anne and Virginia Beach clubs were asked to host their combined tour for two days; Westover and Belle Air plantations submitted plans to open for three days instead of five; Elizabeth River and Nansemond River planned tours on the same day, causing concern; and after being approached by the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond about the possibility of a joint marketing initiative, the board rejected the plan because of its conflict with GCV advertising policy.

Following up on a previous board discussion, First Vice President Mary Hart Darden stated the board has the right to name any fund, but past boards have recommended against it. The board then voted to add the generous Bambe Wilson gift to the existing Kent-Valentine Endowment. Another policy under discussion was disbursement of surplus money from Horticulture Field Day, Conservation Forum and Flower Arranging School. Further study was called for.

Mina announced the establishment of a new committee called the GCV Speakers Series, chaired by Elaine Burden and Fleet Hurlbatt.