2012 Spring Annual Meeting: Williamsburg

October 23, 2022

Photos

The 92nd Annual Meeting on May 15-17, 2012, was hosted by the Williamsburg Garden Club at the Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center, chaired by Sherrie Chappell, Lynn Ford and Dianne Spence.

President Kim Nash thanked the board, adding, “The organization of the GCV has been shored up with a responsible, professional staff; we have revamped our financial practices to put us on sound footing in that department; and we have improved communications with the membership. We have lots to celebrate but, most of all, I want to celebrate the fact that we have accomplished all this with mutual respect, cooperation and humor.”

Finance Committee Chairman Julie MacKinlay presented the 2012-2013 budget and noted proposed changes to the cost of insurance benefits to three eligible employees, effective today. The benefits include health insurance, dental and vision insurance, and disability and life insurance. The GCV will pay 80% of the premium cost and the employee will pay 20%.

The Finance Committee considered how to distribute funds from the E.V. Williams Fund for the benefit of GCV Symposia. The board approved a motion from the Finance Committee to distribute 4% to 5% of the value of the E.V. Williams Fund, which is held in the GCV Endowment, to each future Symposium Committee at its inception to be a lead sponsor of all Symposia.

Development Committee Chairman Barbara Luton presented her report and distributed copies of the most recent letter from President Kim Nash for the Spring Annual Fund appeal.

Jeanette Cadwallender read a report from Maria Tufts, Chairman of Annual and Board of Governors meetings, that included a list of upcoming host clubs through 2018 and proposed updates to the Planning Guide for Hosting Annual and Board of Governors Meetings.

The board approved a motion from the Journal Editor to eliminate the position of Journal Business Manager as the duties have been assumed by the GCV staff.

Before adjourning, the board discussed reporting procedures and concluded that it was beneficial to have board reports in advance, to be distributed by the Recording Secretary. The Annual and Board of Governors reports from committee chairmen do not need to be sent in advance.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, First Vice President Ann Gordon Evans congratulated Kim for her many accomplishments as President of the Garden Club of Virginia and expressed appreciation for her dedication. She then presented Kim with an original Nancy Thomas painting.

Attendees were treated on Tuesday night to “Blue Jeans and Bluegrass” — a casual evening on Jamestown Island featuring a tour of the “dig” by archaeologist Dr. William Kelso, behind-the-scenes stories told by Archaerium architect and artist Carlton Abbott, and dinner by the river as Dr. Kelso grabbed his banjo and played bluegrass music with his band, “Whoever Shows Up.”

Following Wednesday morning’s escorted walking tours of Colonial Williamsburg gardens, attendees enjoyed a picnic in a lovely Colonial garden setting, then headed across the street for the afternoon meeting at the Lodge.

President Kim Nash called the 92nd Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of Virginia to order and began by referencing Tom Christopher, the gardening and environmental author, who wrote, “Like most gardeners, I have an abiding mistrust of progress.” She cleverly noted that “gardeners must not be ill-disposed to that cousin of progress called Change, since there is no garden anywhere that does not change.”

Treasurer Anne Baldwin and Finance Committee Chairman Julie MacKinlay reported a favorable cash position in the GCV operating account. Julie pointed out the new cost in the budget for an insurance benefit package — health, disability and life – for three eligible employees. Going forward, Julie reported, “I see our biggest challenges to be the compensation of our staff, the financial support of our programs and, over time, meeting the needs of the Kent- Valentine House. This is particularly challenging in light of our commitment to pass through to the Restoration Committee for its work all of the net profit from Historic Garden Week each year. The solution to the challenge is, I believe, twofold. First, all sectors of GCV operations need to submit well considered budgets to the Finance Committee, and they must be committed to stick to them. Second, we, together with the Development Committee, need to figure out how to enlarge the pie of the funds we all share to operate and that we need to assure the sustainability of our organization.”

Investment Committee Chairman Sugie Battin presented a comprehensive report.

“The Investment Committee is responsible for overseeing the investment of the Garden Club of Virginia monies. The GCV has four funds, described in your GCV Directory and Handbook. The funds from the GCV Endowment, the Conservation Fund, the Common Wealth Award Fund and the Symposia Fund are pooled together, and the Seed Fund is held in a separate account. Since 2000, the funds have been managed professionally by Investment Management of Virginia. We have a formal investment policy with objectives of preserving capital and achieving long-term growth, while providing cash to meet the GCV’s needs. In late 2011, we completed the five-year review of investment managers and, after extensive analysis, recommended that IMVA continue to handle our funds.

“The Investment Committee is mindful of the importance of the growth of these GCV funds. The Common Wealth Award fund and the Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award fund are drawn from these investments. Also, we take a quarterly draw to meet our operating costs. We expect sustained growth as the economy hopefully strengthens.

“The GCV Restoration Funds are invested with Darrell & King. Unlike the GCV funds, these funds could be withdrawn in their entirety as they are monies for restoration projects across Virginia.”

At this point in the meeting, “Thomas Jefferson” addressed the meeting and issued a warm welcome from Colonial Williamsburg.

Business reports continued.

The 2012 Horticulture Awards of Merit recipients were Jane Cheadle, Mill Mountain Garden Club; Carrie Darracott, the Augusta Garden Club; Kathleen Glass, the Rappahannock Valley Garden Club; Cynthia D. Hall, the Garden Club of the Eastern Shore; Joyce Moorman, the Brunswick Garden Club; Dana Parker, the Virginia Beach Garden Club; Nancy Cann Purcell, the Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton; Jennifer N. Rinehart, Albemarle Garden Club; Patsy Smith, Winchester-Clarke Garden Club; Myra Stegall, the Garden Study Club; Lorraine Warren Strickler, the Spotswood Garden Club; and Susan Wright, Hillside Garden Club.

Journal Editor Jeanette McKittrick reported increased submissions to the Journal since the first full-color cover published in December 2011. She reminded attendees that the Journal is not only for your pleasure and education, but also for the generations to come. Historians routinely consult the Journal, which had its origins in 1925.

The Admissions Committee conducted four new member orientation meetings during the year. With the assistance and support of Directors at Large, meetings for the newest members of the GCV were held at restoration properties across the state, including the Kent-Valentine House, Poplar Forest, the Historic Henry County Courthouse and Blandy Experimental Farm at the State Arboretum. The committee worked closely with the GCV board and committee chairmen to conduct the meetings.

Following reports of Directors at Large, the meeting was adjourned for the day.

Colonial Williamsburg’s Fife and Drum Corps led attendees from the Lodge to the Williamsburg Inn for cocktails on the patio prior to the Awards Banquet in the Regency Room.

The Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award was given to the Garden Club of the Northern Neck who are partnering with the Northern Neck Land Conservancy to protect the habitat at Cat Point Creek Watershed. Read more.

The meeting was reconvened Thursday morning by President Kim Nash.

In opening remarks, Kim recognized the award winners from the banquet the previous night.

Kent-Valentine House Committee Chairman Bebe Luck shared a PowerPoint presentation featuring a lovely collection KVH images.

Pam Reed, the Garden Club of Norfolk, reported on the 2011 recipient of the Bessie Bocock Carter Award in which the Garden Club of Norfolk partnered with the Hermitage Museum and Gardens. She credited Emma Ramsey for her leadership in this endeavor.

Common Wealth Award Committee Chairman Betsy Worthington announced three finalists for the 2013 award: the Lynchburg Garden Club for its project at the Miller Claytor Garden; the Garden Club of Norfolk and the Elizabeth River Garden Club for their joint project at the Paradise Creek Nature Park; and the Princess Anne Garden Club for its project at First Landing State Park.

Historian Heidi James held a meeting for all GCV member club historians on November 8-9, 2011 where she presented information on how to prepare scrapbooks and videos online to replace scrapbooks. Club historians in attendance updated their member club boxes.

Heidi was asked to research the stained-glass window, a gift of the Garden Club of Virginia in 1926 to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, England. The window honors John Tradescant the Younger (1608-1662) who traveled to Virginia between 1628-1637 to collect plant specimens to take back to England. Heidi shared a photo of the window that features the coat of arms of the Tradescant family and a wreath of green leaves with the violet blossoms of the Virginia spiderwort. The museum curator at Oxford asked the Garden Club of Virginia to donate the window and the club raised $354.00 to fulfill the request. A formal unveiling of the window took place on November 26, 1926, by Lord Fairfax of Cameron.

Nominations Committee Chairman Sally Guy Brown presented the slate of officers in nomination for 2012-2014.

Chairman of Annual and Board of Governors meetings Maria Tufts thanked meeting chairmen Sherrie Chappell, Lynn Ford and Dianne Spence and all the members of the Williamsburg Garden Club for a truly wonderful, fun and informative meeting. She then introduced Sara Ann Johnson, president of the Nansemond River Garden Club, who issued the invitation for the Board of Governors meeting October 9-11, 2012, in Suffolk. Betsy Casteen, president of the Charlottesville Garden Club, then came forward and invited the members to the 93rd Annual Meeting, to be held May 6-8, 2013, in Charlottesville, noting that the meeting begins on Monday.

Historian Heidi James and Photographer Casey Rice shared a video tribute to Kim and presented her with a book of photographs from the video. Kim then handed the gavel to Ann Gordon Evans.

Upon accepting the gavel, Ann Gordon Evans became the 46th president of the Garden Club of Virginia. Her remarks included two questions for each member to ponder, “Why did you join your garden club?” and “Why have you stayed?” She gave her answers to these questions and challenged all members to ponder as we set goals for the Garden Club of Virginia and plan for the future.  She then adjourned the meeting.