2019 Fall BOG: Northern Neck

September 15, 2024

The Garden Club of Virginia Board of Governors meeting was hosted by The Garden Club of the Northern Neck on October 15-17, 2019, at Stratford Hall. Photos

The board of directors held its meeting on Tuesday afternoon, October 15. President Jean Gilpin called the meeting to order at 12:28 p.m. and sent get well wishes to Development Committee Chairman Sue Rosser and former GCV President Helen Murphy.

Jean reported on a request for funding that fell outside established guidelines. The request included a $250 gift to Menokin in honor of Calder Loth, a$250 gift to Mount Vernon in honor of Dean Norton, and a$250 gift to UVA’s Batten School in honor of Helen and Tayloe Murphy. Adhering to current policy, the executive  committee met via conference call and sent its recommendation to the Finance Committee. Following the recommendation of the Finance Committee, a motion was made and approved to make the requested gifts with funds from the president’s discretionary budget.

Centennial Steering Committee Chairman Missy Buckingham reported the exhibition at the VMHC will open the night of the gala and will remain open until September 6, 2020. The registration numbers for Founders Day events as of October 14, 2019, are: KVH Reception, 128; Thomas Woltz, 170; VMFA Luncheon, 142; Gala, 221 and Paula Pryke, 204. Missy requested a list of names for “friends of the GCV” who would receive a special invitation to Founders Day events. Honorary Members have been invited, and sponsors will receive complimentary tickets. Flower magazine featured an ad in its November/December issue, and marketing to the general public will begin in November

Second Vice President Catherine Madden announced the planned GCV trip to Normandy for June 2-10, 2020, had been canceled when registration did not meet minimum limits.

Janet Rosser requested input for printing Centennial Humorous Memories, and the board approved author Judy Perry’s request for $2,500 to print 1000 copies of the booklet.

A report from Journal advertising led to a lengthy discussion as follows:

Chairman Lea Shuba brought concerns to the board on procuring and keeping advertisers. Lea believes that someone with marketing experience would be a good fit for this role. Jean added that the redesigned Journal might help promote and retain advertising businesses, and she does not think member clubs should be pressured into buying ad space to promote their events. Businesses that benefit from advertising in the Journal should be the focus. In the continued discussion, the following points were noted: all print material is struggling to get advertising; price point and shelf life are important; and it is more cost-effective to advertise online. It was also noted biannual editions might be more desirable with a more substantive product. The idea of biannual editions of the Journal will be sent to the Journal Editorial Board.

There is also competition for advertisers with the Guidebook. This year, the cost of the Guidebook has been raised to $20 per copy and, to date, far more copies have been sold this year than the previous year.

The topic of members reading Jean’s monthly newsletter was mentioned, and the DALs will ask club presidents why some members don’t open the newsletter. There are about 2000 clicks per month.

 Discussion continued concerning cross-checking of advertising sales between the Journal and the Guidebook. HGW Committee Chairman Tricia Garner communicated there is no cross-checking, but she will speak with Lea. It was also noted the Development Committee should not be competing for support with the Journal and HGW. Perhaps a package deal could be offered to advertisers for the Journal and the Guidebook.

And, finally, should members be asked if they would prefer to receive their Journal online instead of in a print format?

The GCV Membership Committee reported their plans to present a formal motion to the board in January for GCV membership.

Treasurer Vicky Alexander summarized the budget and announced that $185,000 had been raised for the Centennial. She provided financial reports and reviewed account balances, investment income, and audit reports. Jean, Vicky, and Finance Committee Chairman Tricia McDaniel met with the auditor in September to discuss an update to the Treasurers Handbook and to seek advice on GCV support to member clubs, Year in Review reporting, five-year budget planning, and the relationship between the GCV and its member clubs regarding HGW.

Finance Committee Chairman Tricia McDaniel provided details of the GCV Restoration, Conservation, Common Wealth Award, Symposia, and Kent-Valentine House funds.

At its July meeting, the board directed Parliamentarian Linda Consolvo to submit a proposed addition to the bylaws to the Strategic Planning Committee. That committee met on October 3 and returned the following wording:

“Any request made of the Restoration Committee for funding, outside the currently stated policy for expenditure of proceeds from Historic Garden Week (HGW) [“oversee restoration and/or preservation of historic gardens and landscapes of the commonwealth and fund research programs”] will be submitted by the Restoration committee chairman to the president and the executive committee for review. If deemed an appropriate request, the treasurer and president will present the request at a Finance Committee meeting to determine a source for funding from the year’s current budget. If the Finance Committee determines there is no source other than HGW funds, the board of directors must determine whether to accept the diversion of funds from HGW that falls outside the stated mission of the Restoration Committee. If the Board of Directors approves funding from the HGW proceeds, an advanced notice of the request will be sent to all club presidents and a vote will be conducted at either the Board of Governors Meeting or the Annual Meeting, whichever occurs first.”

The board accepted the wording. This was the first reading. The second reading and vote will occur at the January 2020 board meeting.

The Strategic Planning Committee met on October 3 and reviewed the above proposed addition to the bylaws as read by Linda Consolvo. The committee was also happy to learn the board passed the Pollinator Initiative in July, and it is looking at ways to bring the initiative to the attention of members. The committee discussed GCV fellowships and how the fellowships could be expanded.Executive Director Lynn McCashin was pleased to repoert the Carriage House lease had been signed by an architectural firm. As part of the lease, repairs will be performed. The contractors will need to work around the staff of the architectural firm. The drain issue has been repaired, but an additional backup occurred. It is possible that leaves may be a factor. Jean noted the rental income from the Carriage House has historically been added to the GCV income and asked if a fund should be created from the rental income to cover maintenance costs. Tricia McDaniel and Vicky Alexander will work with GCV Bookkeeper Kathie Avery to set up a deferred maintenance fund for the Carriage House taken from the rental income.

She also said the portraits of Horace and Elizabeth Kent have gifted to GCV by descendants of the Kents. The portraits are still boxed and are waiting for a handler to remove them. The frames are consistent with other artwork at the KVH.

A discussion of Centennial registration software followed, with Eventbrite selected for its flexibility.

Conservation and Beautification Committee Chairman Carrie Dorsey reported positive feedback from the 2019 Conservation Forum. The committee is working on advocacy and getting ready for Legislative Day. The committee has written a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers to express the GCV’s opposition to the Surrey-Skiffes Creek towers that have been erected in the James River near Jamestown. The letter asks the Army Corps to withdraw the permit for the towers since they did not conduct an environmental impact study. It also asks for Dominion Power to dismantle the towers and place them in another less historic and environmentally sensitive area. The letter was signed by Jean and Carrie and will be available on the website. The judge will be ruling if Dominion Power will need to re-request a permit.

Carrie attended the Bridge Builders dinner with Virginia Forever, where Delegate David Bulova was honored for doing a great job working across party lines.

Legislative Day is January 28, 2020. Carrie noted members could write an advocacy letter instead of appearing in person. This may help members participate who do not feel comfortable with advocating in person.

Second Vice President Debbie Lewis reported GCV has received grants from the Roller-Bottimore Foundation and the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation in support of the Centennial. She also noted Atlantic Union Bank has sponsored the Centennial exhibition publication

Horticulture Committee Chairman Wendy Walker noted it was great to have an outside workroom at the Conservation Forum and thanked Fran Carden and Kim Cory for their work on this event. Wendy stated it was an amazing experience to collaborate with the Virginia State Parks and the Conservation and Beautification Committees. The Horticulture Committee is looking at the possibility of hosting another horticulture show in September in conjunction with Horticulture Field Day. Horticulture Field Day has been moved to September to avoid a Centennial conflict. The committee has initial plans of following-up on the pollinator initiative by featuring pollinators. The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club has offered to host the 2020 Lilies in Bloom Fredericksburg. A new perpetual trophy has been donated to honor the memory of Katherine Beale, well known for her knowledge of miniature daffodils. This award will be given for a new class in the GCV member section for a collection of five miniature daffodils. Also, a new class for daffodils grown and shown in containers has been added. Jean, Missy, and Lynn will be visiting the RVGC chairs of Lilies in Bloom to review and clarify the responsibilities of the GCV and RVGC for this event.

Artistic Design Committee Chairman Tory Willis announced 18 clubs have signed up for the Centennial’s floral design exhibit. (See schedule) The committee has been busy working on the schedule for 2020 Daffodil Day, “Daffodils Through the Centuries: A Reflection.” Tory reviewed the four InterClub divisions and the three individual classes. Tory noted Jennifer Kelly has agreed to take charge of the pedestals after Daffodil Day and will have them ready for the Centennial club arrangements at the VMHC.

Historic Garden Week Committee Chairman Tricia Garner announced the estate of Bunny Melon, Oak Spring, would be open for 2020 HGW. This will be in addition to the regular properties open for the Middleburg tour. The estate volunteered to be open in honor of the GCV Centennial. A timed ticket will need to be purchased separately for the Oak Spring tour. It will not be a part of the regular Middleburg HGW tour ticket. HGW state passes will also not be honored. The house and gardens will be open, and all proceeds will benefit HGW. The estate will also provide the shuttles. The tour will be held on April 24-25 and will allow only 500 visitors each day. There is a two-ticket per person limit for Oak Spring.

Restoration Committee Chairman Anne Baldwin encouraged everyone to view the gardens at Stratford Hall tomorrow morning before the Board of Governors meeting.  The dedication of Point of Honor was just held, and pictures of the event will be included in the next edition of the Journal. The Poplar Forest project continues, but was slowed down recently due to drainage issues, stone-cutting, and color selection of mud and stone.  Anne is hoping this project will be completed soon allowing the William & Mary project to begin around January since the same contractor is being used for both projects.

Anne thanked the board members who attended the fellowship presentations this summer. The Mount Airy presentation was videotaped due to space limitations. Anne has not seen the final product but will make the video available to the board. Anne noted she had received feedback from attendees that it was one of the best presentations given by a fellow. Jean asked who produced the video and communicated that Nina Mustard had located it online and said it was wonderful.

Bartlett Tree Experts, as part of a Centennial gift to the GCV, has offered to perform tree work at ten GCV Restoration sites, especially those smaller sites with limited available funds. The first work was performed at Kenmore. Widget Williams, Harborfront Garden Club, is coordinating this effort with Jean and Lynn on behalf of the Restoration Committee.

Following reports from the Directors at Large, Jean presented the topic of the HGW chairman’s rotation. The HGW chairman position currently rotates midway through the GCV president’s term. Jean noted this does not make sense, and she does not know why this was put in place. There is no procedure in place for making the change in a term. Jean proposed changing the HGW chairman’s term to coincide with the other chairman’s term. This could be accomplished by changing the current HGW chairman’s term to one year or three years. It was noted three of the DALs rotate on the board during the off year, as it is often an entry-level position.

Following a motion, discussion, and approval of the change, Jean announced that Tricia Garner will serve as HGW Committee Chairman for three years.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

President Jean Gilpin welcomed attendees to the meeting and thanked Kate Muller, Lois Spencer, Jan Schuler, and all members of The Northern Neck for hosting a wonderful meeting.

GCNN President Kate Muller welcomed everyone and called the rain “liquid gold!” Kate introduced Lois Spencer and Jan Schuler, co-chairmen of the BOG. John Bacon, President of Stratford Hall, welcomed all to Stratford Hall and proclaimed, “Thank you for the rain!” Mr. Bacon explained that the relationship between Stratford Hall and the GCV goes back for years with the installation of the East Garden in the 1950s, and a second restoration under the direction of GCV Landscape Architect Will Rieley. Mr. Bacon thanked everyone for supporting Stratford Hall and wished everyone a wonderful couple of days.

Common Wealth Award Committee Chairman Karla MacKimmie presented the 2019 Common Wealth Award to The Boxwood Garden Club for their project, the Peter Paul Development Center and Playground Enhancement, during the BOG awards banquet.

Guest speaker Ken Benson, District Manager, Virginia State Parks, gave a wonderful presentation, including the history of Westmoreland State Park and thanked the GCV for the State Parks grant. Mr. Benson also highlighted the Youth Conservation Corps and noted the program is on the “chopping block” because of budgetary issues.

GCV Landscape Architect Will Rieley gave an excellent presentation highlighting Restoration properties, including Kenmore, Point of Honor, Poplar Forest, and the College of William & Mary.

Treasurer Vicky Alexander presented an abbreviated treasurer’s report and noted the annual audit had taken place in July, and she is awaiting the results. Vicky thanked the women who have made good decisions in the past and placed the GCV in a solid financial position. Finance Committee Chairman Tricia McDaniel communicated that the Finance Committee oversees all finances of the GCV. The budget process will begin in January and will be presented to the GCV board of directors in May and approved by the attendees at the Annual Meeting. The GCV has an investment policy in place, and members of the Finance Committee receive quarterly investment reports.

First Vice President and Chairman of the Centennial Steering Committee Missy Buckingham highlighted the progress of the Centennial celebration over the past five months. Missy encouraged club presidents to communicate what each club has been doing to celebrate the Centennial. Large postcards were given to the Centennial club liaisons listing the Founders Day events, and all members should have received one. The Centennial Founders Day events registration webpage went live on October 1, and 865 individual tickets have been sold to date. Suggested hotel accommodations can also be found on the website. Attendees are encouraged to make accommodations early, and all Annual Meeting participants are encouraged to extend their stay. The exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture titled, “A Landscape Saved: The Garden Club of Virginia at 100,” will open the night of the gala on May 13, 2020. Former GCV President Jeanette Cadwallender is in the process of writing a catalog to accompany the exhibition. Jeanette and Former GCV President Kim Nash have been writing a resolution which will be sponsored by State Senator Obenshain and presented to the legislature. Please submit all Centennial Time Capsule items by the deadline of December 1, 2019. A social media campaign has begun, and the first national advertisement will appear in Flower magazine in the November/December issue. In addition, Virginia Living will run an advertisement in its next issue. Featured articles will be seen in Virginia Living, R Home, Flower, and The Garden Club of America’s Bulletin. Merchandise sales have been very successful. Supplies are limited with half of the inventory having been sold. The Tervis Tumblers are now available with lids. Centennial club liaisons have received a media kit. Director of Historic Garden Week and Special Programs Karen Ellsworth is helping with Centennial communications. Missy exclaimed, “Let’s look forward together to the next 100 years!”

Second Vice President Catherine Madden introduced Daffodil Day Chairman Adele Smith, who paraphrased the words of Francis Church by stating, “Yes, Virginia, there will be a Daffodil Day!” The theme will be “Daffodils through the Centuries: A Reflection,” reflecting the GCV Centennial. Daffodil Day will be held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on March 30 – April 1 with the show open to the public on March 31, 2-4 p.m.

The save-the-date card features a photograph taken by last year’s blue ribbon winner Jane Hammond of Dolly Madison Garden Club. Please take every opportunity to remind members to attend and take advantage of the free visit to the gardens and the wonderful shopping. President Gilpin reminded everyone that Southern Living and Virginia Living were in attendance last year and be on the lookout for a supplement in Virginia Living.

Conservation and Beautification Chairman Carrie Dorsey reported she had received rave reviews for the Conservation Forum, and there was an excellent collaboration with the Virginia State Parks and Horticulture committees. Carrie noted she has a new appreciation of trees from the great speakers at the Forum and left the event empowered and inspired to plant trees. Please visit the newly updated Conservation page on the GCV website and note the three highlighted initiatives, which are great club resources. The legislative policies and concerns are also posted on the website. Please also note the link to the 4Oceans organization and their movement to clean up plastics from our waters and coasts. The 4Oceans movement segues well into our “Refuse to Use” campaign. The Conservation and Beautification Committee would like to hear from clubs concerning their local conservation efforts. The committee is actively gathering information on various issues having to do with clean water, clean energy, climate change, and land use. There is continued work with our two partner organizations. Virginia Conservation Network is comprised of over 100 conservation organizations. They issue a booklet titled “Our Common Agenda,” which is a wonderful resource. The booklet provides background and proposed plans of action on conservation issues. Their recommendations are valuable in forming our stance on various positions. The GCV strives to maintain an independent voice while advocating on many environmental issues. VIRGINIAforever is our other partner organization. The GCV is represented on its board. Carrie noted she had just attended their “Bridge Builder” dinner, where they honored a state legislator for reaching across party lines to obtain money for conservation programs. The organization’s focus is entirely on finding funding for environmental programs specifically for improving water quality and land conservation. Last year’s budget included a record amount of funds.

VCN will be hosting a legislative preview day the first weekend in December that will have video streaming options across the state. Legislative Day will be held on January 28, 2020.

Conservation Awards Chairman Heidi James reported the committee met in July and selected the winners of the Dugdale Award and the Conservation Educator Award. The Elizabeth Cabell Dugdale award winner for 2019 was The Nansemond River Preservation Alliance. The winner of the 2019 Conservation Educator Award was James E. Jones, Natural Bridge State Park manager. The deadline for the Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award is December 1, 2019, and the deadline for the de Lacy Gray Memorial Medal for Conservation is March 1, 2020. The committee hopes to list the Bessie Bocock Carter Conservation Award projects in the Guidebook.

Heidi then presented Lynchburg’s activities concerning the new GCV Pollinator Resolution, which was passed by the GCV board last July. Heidi explained, “The new pollinator resolution has all of the usual suggestions for our clubs and members: Plant native plants, plant pollinator-friendly gardens, reduce the use of pesticides/herbicides/fungicides, etc. But, there is much more to it than that!” Members of The Lynchburg Garden Club and Hillside Garden Club created a new partnership called Blue Ridge Conservation. This group had a brainstorming session and decided to become a Bee City. This is a relatively new designation by an organization founded in 2012 by Phyllis Stiles of Asheville, NC, and is now part of the Xerces Society. In September 2019, there were 96 Bee Cities and counting with three in Virginia. There are incentives for cities to form these kinds of partnerships with nonprofits, one being that they qualify for more grants and funding if they participate in conservation/ecological programs. Native plants are key to getting things moving in the right direction by helping the pollinators and the entire food web.

The benefits of becoming a Bee City include bringing all of the interested parties together so everyone can work as a team to make a difference. It connects a city to a national movement. City officials will have the support of the Xerces Society and their latest research. A Bee City can have access to webinars, social media posts, and many other resources. Finally, it gets a city to think about how it landscapes public spaces. Cities are encouraged to use native plants and trees and to reduce chemical use. They may end up reducing mowing, saving costs, and becoming tuned into important issues.

At the end of Heidi’s very informative presentation, she proclaimed, “We can use Bee City USA as a platform to start an organized, statewide effort that encompasses conservation, horticulture and, by having Historic Garden Week as a Bee City event, it even pulls Restoration into the equation. The more of us that pursue this, the broader our influence and coverage across the state will be!”

Horticulture Committee Chairman Wendy Walker thanked Kim Cory and Fran Carden for their work to make the GCV Back to Nature horticulture show a great success. Participation was great with 160 total stems entered in 41 classes representing 13 clubs. Wendy noted the BOG horticulture display was beautiful, loved how everyone interpreted the “speaks to the soul” nature theme, and thanked everyone for bringing their displays. The Annual Meeting horticulture schedule will be sent to the club presidents and horticulture chairs in January. Wendy reminded the attendees the deadline for the Horticulture Award of Merit nominations is March 1, 2020. The Daffodil Workshop will be held on March 23, 2020, at the KVH. Horticulture Field Day will be hosted in the fall so everyone can enjoy the GCV Centennial events. Wendy reported the ‘Green Arrow’ daffodil is a mid-late season bloomer. Janet Hickman and the Daffodil Committee are interested in the 2nd second-year behavior and encouraged members that planted ‘Green Arrow’ to please complete and submit the evaluation form. If you are interested in purchasing ‘Green Arrow,’ the bulbs are still available through Brent & Becky’s Bulbs. The Katherine Beale Trophy, donated by Harborfront Garden Club, has been added and will be awarded in the GCV members-only Section for a collection of five miniature daffodils.

Lilies in Bloom Chairman Nina Mustard reviewed the history of the event and noted the first show only included horticulture. The 2019 show had generous donations of $1900 that funded the entire show. The show included 35 horticulture exhibitors and 12 artistic InterClub entries. The show was dedicated to the memory of Katherine Beale. Nina thanked Hilldrup for their assistance and announced The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club has offered to sponsor Lilies in Bloom for the next two years. A date and venue have not yet been announced.

Claire Mellinger, Albemarle Garden Club, has joined forces with the Restoration Committee to create a retrospective photography show called “A Sense of Place” that will be displayed at the KVH during the Founders Day cocktail reception on May 12, 2020. Photographs will showcase historic GCV Restoration projects in Virginia. Currently, there are 68 member entries, including President Jean Gilpin. The photographs will be displayed by district. There are still Restoration properties that need entries. Digital entries are due by January 15, 2020.

Executive Director Lynn McCashin reported the calendar at the KVH has been full of events over the past couple of months. Lynn noted the GCV staff works well together. Karen Ellsworth continues to work with marketing, communications, HGW, and editing the Guidebook. Karen has also been working with Missy Buckingham and Lynn on Centennial communications and has been working with Jean Gilpin on Centennial sponsorships. Communications Coordinator Ann Heller creates all the slides for the BOG. She has worked tirelessly with Nina Mustard on the Centennial, including ticketing. Ann is also the editor of the Year in Review which will be sent soon. HGW Administrative Coordinator Terri Lowman has been busy processing the Guidebook advertisements and contracts. Terri also arranged Google Drive training and is currently working on the marketing meeting. Director of Development Lexie Haglund continues to work on the sponsor process and the Annual Fund appeal. Kathie Avery has been working for the GCV for six months as the new Bookkeeper. Office and Events Coordinator Quan McGough is the cornerstone at the KVH. Quan is central to Centennial planning and organizes all logistics for KVH meetings and events. KVH Manager Lee Mondesir manages all the party rentals. Lynn noted the lease on the Carriage House at the KVH had been renewed for seven years. Lynn announced that the Horace and Elizabeth Kent portraits would be returning to the KVH! The Kents built the KVH, and their descendants have had a desire for the portraits to return. The upgrades to the KVH have been completed, and Lynn encouraged clubs to visit. Jean Gilpin noted, “We are so proud of the way the KVH looks!”

Restoration Committee Chairman Anne Baldwin stated she was excited that everyone had the opportunity to view Stratford Hall and thanked everyone that visited the gardens. Anne reported the north lawn at Point of Honor in Lynchburg was dedicated on September 19, and there will be an article in the upcoming Journal about the restoration. Work at Poplar Forest continues on the carriage turnaround, and work at the College of William 7 Mary will begin soon. Fellow Hayden Hammons worked and lived at Mount Airy in Warsaw. This home was built in 1764. Fellow Dania Khaifat documented Farmington, which was constructed in 1780 and located in Charlottesville. These reports are available online and at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Anne thanked the Research Fellowship Committee for their work in selecting the sites and the fellows. Anne reminded everyone about the Restoration Committee PowerPoint presentation. She is hoping to get 3500 GCV members excited about visiting Restoration properties. The Restoration Committee is giving a prize to one member of each club who visits the most Restoration properties between May 2019 and the 2020 Annual Meeting.

Artistic Design Committee Chairman Tory Willis gave a delightful presentation as Mrs. Gardenia Calli Vines or GCV for short. Daffodil Day will be held at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in March. There will be four Inter\Club divisions, including Echo, Creative Line, Construction, and Federal classes. There will be three individual/group divisions, including Illuminary, Designer’s Choice, and a Small Design for a Novice. The arrangements for the Founders Day events will be placed on traditional pedestals throughout the VMHC. The pedestals are 42” high and 12” square. There are no height or width restrictions for the arrangements. The classes include State Parks, Restoration Sites, Design a Decade, and Showcase your Club. Half of the GCV member clubs have signed up. Please pick a first and second choice. Each arrangement will need an accompanying card of explanation. There may be only one arrangement per club.

The Directors at Large (Bettie Guthrie, Fran Carden, Anne Harrison Harris, Debbie Lewis, Laura Francis, and Debbie Bonnewell) reported they have been “busy as bees” promoting the “Queen Bee’s” Refuse to Use initiative. The DALs shared two initiatives from each district and then hosted a drawing with one winner from each district. President Jean Gilpin noted the DALs reports would be available online.

Corresponding Secretary Janet Rosser thanked everyone for their generous support of the GCV. Janet then introduced the following GCV committee chairmen for whom she serves as board liaison. Journal Editorial Board Chairman Julie Grover reported the Summer 2020 edition of the Journal would be redesigned to include a larger format with better paper and larger photographs. Julie noted the editorial board needs articles for the Journal from each GCV committee, including HGW, Horticulture, Restoration, and Artistic Design with a subject matter of where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. Journal Advertising Chairman Lea Shuba communicated the Journal advertisers are an excellent reference for shopping. Please inform Lea of businesses that meet the GCV demographics, and she will reach out to them. Lea thanked the club presidents and reminded them to reach out to the Journal to advertise their club events. GCV clubs receive a 50% discount on advertisements. GCV Historian and Custodian of Records Judy Perry explained to the club presidents that each club has a box located in the conference room of the KVH filled with items representing the past histories of each club. On November 6, 2019, there will be a historians meeting. Judy asked the presidents to please send a delegate if the club historian cannot be in attendance. Paige Newman of the VMHC will be the guest speaker. Judy noted there would be an article in the Journal about the WWII efforts. The GCV trip to Normandy has been canceled. The humorous memories project will be released during the Founders Day events. Artist Marcia Long, from The Williamsburg Garden Club, is doing a wonderful job with the artwork sketches. There are over 125 stories from 30 different clubs, and Judy will still take stories from the clubs over the next few days. President Jean Gilpin noted this effort has been a labor of love for Judy.

Chairman of Strategic Planning Candy Crosby reminded everyone the committee’s focus is how the GCV will embrace the next 100 years. The committee recommends the net proceeds of HGW should be used for Restoration projects and the fellowships. The committee also supported the development of a pollinator initiative and recommends the GCV board of directors appoint a committee to investigate the expansion of the fellowship programs.

Nominations Committee Chairman Ann Gordon Evans explained the committee is made up of one person from each district, and Lynn McCashin serves as a nonvoting member. The committee will meet in early December to determine a slate to fill the following officers and Directors at Large positions: First Vice President, Second Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and DALs from Districts 1, 3, and 4. It is per the GCV policy that the sitting First Vice President will be nominated as the incoming GCV President. A manila envelope with a nominations form was given to each BOG attendee. Please mail nominations to Ann Gordon Evans with a postmark date no later than Friday, November 15. Nominations are confidential. Please carefully consider your recommendations and include leadership experiences of each person. You may vote for positions outside of your district. Ann Gordon noted it is helpful to have pictures of members posted online.

Massie Medal Committee Chairman Dianne Spence explained the Massie Medal had been given since 1954 in memory of former GCV President Susanne Williams Massie, (1926- 1928). The deadline for nominations is November 1. Nominations are confidential, and the recipient is announced at the Annual Meeting during the banquet.

Common Wealth Award Committee Chairman Karla MacKimmie congratulated the Boxwood Garden Club for winning the 2019 Common Wealth Award. The deadline for the 2020 Common Wealth Award application is March 1, 2020. Judy Perry presented an update for The Elizabeth River Garden Club’s 2018 Common Wealth Award-winning project “The Outdoor Classroom at Paradise Creek Nature Park.” Judy explained the 40-acre park was developed out of a toxic waste dump. Judy shared before and after slides of their project. Virginia Gillock presented an update for The Augusta Garden Club’s 2018 second place Common Wealth Award-winning project “Project Dogwood – A Hundred Year Journey.” Virginia presented the history of her club with the dogwood tree and in 2019, they partnered with Habitat for Humanity in planting neighborhood dogwoods. They are currently developing a children’s book, which is a historical fiction written from the perspective of a dogwood tree. This book is aligned with the commonwealth’s SOLs, and it includes curriculum support and resources for children. Their goal is to share a love of dogwood trees.

Historic Garden Week Committee Chairman Tricia Garner has agreed to serve in the HGW Chairman role for three years. This will allow the term of the HGW chairman to align with the term of the rest of the board chairmen and the GCV president. Tricia reported the planning for the 2020 HGW tour has been exciting in association with the Centennial celebration. This year there will be 29 tours plus the James River Plantations will be open. Tricia thanked the tour chairmen and club members for all the work they accomplish. Tricia announced the estate of Bunny Mellon, Oak Spring Farm in Upperville, will be open for tour. This will require a separate ticket, and the cost will be $100 per person. All proceeds will be donated to HGW. Oak Spring will provide shuttles and some hostesses. Tickets will be limited, and attendees must sign up for a time to attend. To accommodate this opportunity, the Middleburg tours will be held on Friday and Saturday instead of the usual Sunday and Monday. The HGW marketing meeting will be held on Thursday, November 7, at 10:00 a.m. at the Bolling-Haxall House. Presidents are invited to attend. There will be a marketing goody bag sent home with each tour chairman. The HGW brochure will feature a picture of the planter at the KVH featuring the ‘Green Arrow’ daffodil. The Guidebook cover was revealed, featuring a photograph of the KVH by Ben Greenburg. The color yellow will be a gold foil treatment. This edition will be a keepsake!

Development Committee Member Debbie Lewis reported the committee is excited to celebrate the Centennial. The Annual Fund has raised $120,555 in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. This amount was the most raised since its inception ten years ago. The Centennial goal is to have 100% participation for 100 years. Debbie thanked the clubs that have donated to the fund with gifts totaling $22,525. The Annual Fund appeal will be sent to members next week. The current “polishing our gem” campaign has resulted in three restored gilded mirrors, with four more needing to be conserved. The Green Arrow Society includes 18 members, with nine new members added this year. Debbie announced the Centennial exhibition had been fully funded by the Richard S. Reynolds Foundation and the Roller-Bottimore Foundation grants. Atlantic Union Bank has partnered with the GCV to sponsor the exhibition publication. Additional Centennial sponsors include Bartlett Tree Experts, Hilldrup, TowneBank, Investment Management of VA, Grelen Nursery, Valley Proteins, Lucy and Robert Huff, Robin and Bill Ingram, Meredith Lauter, The Ashland Garden Club, and Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas Asset Management. Debbie thanked all the GCV members and corporations for their support.

Virginia State Parks Chairman Nina Mustard thanked Ann Heller for all her work with the slides. She then reported the “Back to Nature” event at Natural Bridge, held on September 24-25, was very successful. The partnership with the Horticulture Committee and the Conservation and Beautification Committee made for a great event. Bartlett Tree Experts worked with elementary schoolchildren, and there was a beautiful “base camp” learning center. The event had great support from IMVA, Friends of Natural Bridge and Natural Bridge Director Jim Jones and his staff. During this event, Craig Seaver, recently retired Director of Virginia State Parks, announced the GCV had won the Presidents Award from the National Association of State Park Directors. Craig Seaver was awarded State Park Director of the Year by the same organization. Nina also reported Mary Hart Darden won a blue ribbon for her hot pepper jelly submission in the picnic class of the horticulture show. The State Parks grants have been supported by 21 member clubs partnering with 23 Virginia State Parks plus the Youth Conservation Corps. The 2020 grant submission deadline is December 1, 2019. The committee will meet with the interim State Parks director in early December, and the winners will be announced in early 2020. This is the last year for the State Parks grants.

GCV Annual Meeting and Board of Governors Chairman Sidney Jordon thanked meeting co-chairmen Lois and Jan who received a standing ovation from attendees. The 2020 Annual Meeting will be hosted by The James River Garden Club in Richmond on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Hotel accommodations will be at the Graduate, and attendees can extend their reservations for the Founders Day events on May 13. The 2020 Board of Governors Co-Chairmen Dannett Lightcap and Bonnie Baker invited everyone to Warren County on October 13-15, 2020, for “Gardening for Our Own Good.”

The Garden Club of the Northern Neck President Kate Muller thanked the attendees, adding, “It was a privilege to entertain you!” Kate then announced the sad news that GCV former GCV President Helen Murphy had passed away early that morning and asked that everyone please remember Helen’s husband, Tayloe, and her family.