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Founded in 1921 Celebrating Our 90th Year
Volume 90 Issue #11 September 2011 |
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QUICK LINKS
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www.FPRESPA.org
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Garden Club of Palo Alto
Invites you to celebrate its 90th Birthday
Friday, September 9, 2011 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Tickets are available for the Garden Club's 90th Anniversary Gala on Friday, September 9, at Gamble Garden to benefit the Charitable Trust. Please put on your cocktail attire and invoke the Roaring Twenties joie de vivre while helping our club raise funds necessary for this year's annual Project Funding! (Last year, we chose to donate all Holiday Affaire proceeds to Gamble Garden in honor of its 25th anniversary, so our coffers are empty.) Libations and delicious bites will be served. The Garden Club's history will be on display, as well as, examples of projects funded by the Charitable Trust.
We can't wait to see you all, so grab your partner or come in solo splendor to celebrate in style and support our good works. This will be our only fundraiser of the year, so we are counting on your support. No need to bake, sew, burn yourself with a glue gun, or clean out your closet just make a donation and come have fun !!
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Palo Alto City Council Celebrates Garden Club's 90th Anniversary
Monday, October 17 at 7 p.m.
That's the day and time when our club members will be in the Palo Alto Council
chambers at the invitation of Mayor Sid Espinosa. We will hear President Nancy Wong make a short presentation at the beginning of the meeting about the Garden Club's glorious history and accept the congratulations of the council. More details will be forthcoming-for now, make a note to attend and help us show the happy faces of the Garden Club of Palo Alto.
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Monthly Meeting Site to Change
New venue for Garden Club begins with October 4th meeting.
The Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto
1140 Cowper Street, Palo Alto
(between Kingsley and Lincoln)
Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged.
See following article with details
and a list of volunteers for carpooling.
1140 Cowper Street (at Lincoln St.)
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 325-5659
From 101:
Exit at Embarcadero Road and travel west toward Stanford. After passing Middlefield Road, turn right on Cowper Street. Continue along to 1140 Cowper , which is between Lincoln and Kingsley.
From 280:
Exit Sand Hill Road East towards Stanford Shopping Center. Turn right at Arboretum Drive (between Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom's). Turn left at Palm Drive. Continue on Palm passing under Rt. 82 (El Camino Real). Palm Drive changes its name to University Avenue. Continue along University Avenue to Cowper Street. Turn right on Cowper to 1140 Cowper. The church is located between Lincoln and Kingsley.
Parking:
Parking is available behind the church (off of Lincoln Ave.) and next to Westminster House (accessible via either Cowper or Kingsley). Street parking is also available.
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Carpooling to Garden Club Meetings
To encourage camaraderie and reduce our carbon footprint, please contact one of the following volunteer drivers in your neighborhood. If you would like to add your name to the driver list, please email eleanorlaney@gmail.com. Thank you for your support, ---The Conservation Committee of PAGC Sandy Cover 1133 Harker 94301 Hutchinson / Harriet 325-6499 Eleanor Laney 1128 Emerson 94301 Lincoln / Embarcadero 326-6260 Karen Olson 566 Washington 94301 Washington @ Cowper 327-0581 Marilyn Sutorius 2030 Waverly 94301 Addison / Lincoln 326-5210 Kirsten Gildersleeve 893 Sharon Ct 94301 Channing / Newell 328-6087 Laurie Jo Wilson 2422 South Ct 94301 South Ct/Colorado 521-0426 Louise Beattie 1445 Hamilton 94301 Island/ Newell 323-0723 Lee Newman 1256 Martin 94301 Lincoln/ Center 327-8086 Connie Cavanaugh 935 Elsinore Dr 94303 Greer/ Lewis 493-0940 O'Malley Stoumen 1630 Castilleja 94306 Miramonte/ Sequoia 996-0101 Patricia Sanders 1004 McGregor 94306 Llima / Paradise 493-6231 Leslie McLaren 2681 Ramona 94306 El Dorado/ Colorado 853-8443 Marilyn Sokol 420 Sand Hill Cir MP 94025 Off Sand Hill Rd 561-9541 Mary Sweeney 3 Irving Ct. Ath 94027 Lindenwood 323-4629 Cheryl Benedict 220 Felton Dr MP 94028 Felton @ Encinal 322-3550 Mary Jo Hossfeld 501 Portola Rd PV 94028 Portola @ Willowbrook 424-4357 Beverly Aarts 4 Ohlone PV 94028 Ohlone @ Valley Oak 529-1829 Mimi Meffert 406 Minoca PV 94028 Golden Oak/Cervantes 529-0498 |
President's Message
I hope you are having a wonderful summer.The Palo Alto Garden Club year ended on a spectacular note as 115 guests dined at the beautiful Los Altos Golf and Country Club. It was entrancing to see so many lovely ladies decked out in gorgeous hats, gloves and pearls that transported us to another era. The day was bright and sunny. The lunch committee did a fabulous job of creating beautiful centerpieces, featuring flowers from our own members' gardens. The committee invited guests to enliven the lunch tables with their "Thought of the Day".Great contributions were made ranging from humorous to thought provoking ( I am inspired now to collect and use these, especially with attribution). Many thanks to Cheryl Benedict, Chair and all 15 June Luncheon committee members for arranging such a wonderful event. I am fortunate to be serving the Garden Club of Palo Alto at this time. There is a group of dedicated women on the Board of Directors. Many stayed on, and a few even stepped up to the plate in their first year as members (the full list of Board Members follows in this Newsletter). I am asking the Board to involve general members as much as possible in the activities. Some of you already have been tapped. Thank you in advance for volunteering your creativity and energy when called. Returning Community Outreach Co Chairs, Heidi Schwenk and Lonnie Zarem, and other volunteers, have been busy this summer, harvesting flowers that were generously offered by Gamble Garden to create beautiful bouquets. It has been happening on alternate weeks, bringing joy to many at schools, hospitals, fire stations, and libraries. As you know, earlier this year, the Garden Club of Palo Alto made a major contribution to Elizabeth F Gamble Garden with the proceeds from Holiday Affaire 2010. I am pleased to tell you that at the Gamble Garden Summer Party, the Gamble Garden co-Presidents, Lena Dawson and Susan Mirabella, the Board of Directors, and Pat Davis, chair of the Endowment Committee, honored this contribution from the Garden Club of Palo Alto with a specially engraved brick that reads: GAMBLE GARDEN HONORS THE GARDEN CLUB OF PALO ALTO. JUNE 21, 2011. This is the second time GCPA has been honored with an engraved brick; the first one was installed in 1998 for our first major contribution. Look for the bricks at the Gazebo. I am delighted that the Garden Club of Palo Alto is about to pass 90 years. Our memembers have much to be proud of, as the GCPA continues its tradition of education, conservation, fund raising, making grants for area beautification, and supporting low income family vegetable gardens. This year I hope to especially emphasize Celebration, Conservation, and Member involvement. We will begin with a Cocktail Party and Fundraiser Celebration for the 90th birthday on September 9, 2011. We are fortunate that Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden graciously offered to host our festivities. The Fund Raising Co-Chairs Sarah Burgess and Pat Sanders have been diligently planning the details. It promises to be a wonderful event and proceeds will help to replenish GCPA's Charitable Trust, the source for GCPA Grants. The space is limited to the first 150 people. Beginning in October, the Garden Club of Palo Alto Meetings will beat a new venue. They will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto at 1140 Cowper. Make a note of it. More details to come in the next newsletter. "Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest." ~Douglas William Jerrold, about Australia, A Land of Plenty" Nancy Wong, GCPA President |
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EXECUTIVE BOARD 2011-2012
PRESIDENT: NANCY WONG
FIRST VP. PRES/PROGRAMS: PAT DAVIS & BARBARA BOWERS
SECOND VP/NEWSLETTER: ELIZABETH MODER-STERN
RECORDING SECRETARY: CONNIE CAVANAUGH
CORRESPONDENCE SECRETARY: BONNIE STREET
TREASURER: KAREN DOUGLAS
MEMBERSHIP: JANET HEILMAN & CAROL KUIPER
PARLIAMENTARIAN: MARY JO LEVY
DIRECTORS 2011-2012
COMMUNITY OUTREACH: LONNIE ZAREM & HEIDI SCHWENK
CONSERVATION: SANDRA COVER & ELEANOR LANEY
FIELD TRIPS: LOUISE BEATTIE
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS: PATRICIA SMITH
FUNDRAISING for the90TH PARTY: PAT SANDERS & SARAH BURGESS
GAMBLE LIAISONS: SHARLEEN FIDDAMAN & TONI WISMAN
HOSPITALITY: KAREN FRY
HORTICULTURE: MIMI MEFFERT & GWEN WHITTIER
WEBSITE: LESLIE HUEY
PROJECT FUNDING: BETSY OKARMA
DECEMBER LUNCH: LAURIE JO WILSON
JUNE LUNCH: GAYE BRUCE, BEVERLY AARTS & KAREN FRY
MEMBERS GARDENS TOUR: SUSAN MCDONNELL
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| Membership Corner
New Member Sponsorships
If you have a friend who wants to become a member of the Garden Club, ask Membership Chairman, Jan Heilman, for the application packet or download it from the Garden Club website (paloaltogardenclub.org).
The completed packet with the $70 application fee is to be given to Jan Heilman by the November general meeting.
Changes in Contact Information of Members:
Nancy Anderson's cell 650 815-9802
Leannah Hunt's email lhunt@serenogroup.com
Marcia Guzy(a former member who has been reinstated)
1372 Johnson Street
Menlo Park, 94205
650 208-0230
Pat Sander's email pat.sanders1@ATT.net
Carol Shealy's email operations@basisfoundation.org
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Horticulture - Here's the Dirt
Palo Alto, Los Altos/Hills, Portola Valley are classified as being in Sunset's 'Coastal Zone'.
The zones are #15-17. ***Choose plants and learn more about your zone: www.Sunset.com/plantfinder
We gardeners know that even within these zones, there are significant variations starting with soil, shade, wind. Study your own garden and see what works and changes that may be needed.
Summer and fall are good times to see what you like about other peoples' gardens, too. You may discover a need for planting a shade tree to cool your home from afternoon sun. Perhaps you want a deciduous tree ('leaves fall') for summer shade, color in the fall and giving you winter sun. Examples: Chinese pistache, or a little-leaf linden, or a smaller tree such as maple (acer palmatum 'emerald lace' which has beautiful red fall color)
With summer rolling into September days, let's do the Gardeners' Checklist:
- Be careful of the heat. Wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
- 'Deadhead' spent flowers/stems such as agapanthus and daylilies
- Cut off suckers from fruit trees, crape myrtles, roses
- Cut back petunias/nepetas and other repeat blooming plants to keep them flowering
- Control weeds by mulching, cultivating and 'hand-pulling' (hard work sometimes!)
- Prune and train wisteria
- Study your irrigation system; check for malfunctioning heads. On drip irrigation system, flush filters and headers
- Grow perennials: when the weather cools in September, start now to grow perennials. They'll develop strong roots in the cool season and grow fast in the spring
- Rake leaves: whisk fall leaves off bedding plants and delicate groundcovers. Use a 'gentle-springy rake'
- Sow cool weather seeds now, or plant seedlings in October . Keep soil moist and apply a complete fertilizer once or twice to encourage growth
Gardening Tips:
(perhaps some of you bird-watchers can verify)
Bird feeders beware: sunflower seed hulls have an allelopathic effect that retards growth and germination of seeds of all adjacent plant material. (hulled sunflowers are available, but expensive). So be careful where you place your feeders, thoroughly rake or vacuum up the hulls and dispose of them. Do NOT compost them.
Getting pollen stains (esp. from lilies) off clothes and linen was a 'tragedy' until a friend gave me a great solution. As soon as possible, without touching the pollen stain with anything, place 'scotch tape' (or masking tape) over the pollen and lift the pollen right off. You may need to repeat with clean tape several times, but it really works.
***Members, do you have gardening tips or suggestions to share? Please send them to us.
Mimi Meffert or Gwen Whittier (we're in 'the membership book')
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News from the Gamble Garden
Always beautiful...always changing! Gamble Garden has now shifting into "summer mode". The irrigation system is being tweaked and the new rose garden has been planted. Take a look.
Spring Tour was an amazing success! Proceeds are in the range of $135,000. Many thanks to all who helped with numerous jobs, especially for providing iced tea and cookies to the 2,000 visitors.
As a surprise, it was announced at our June Luncheon that "with appreciation and gratitude, a brick in the gazebo will be inscribed: Gamble Garden Honors The Garden Club of Palo Alto." In 1996 we provided the very first brick with our donation of $7500. Over the years, since our founding of Gamble Garden in 1986, our club has given generously to The Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden Endowment Fund to support and insure the future of Gamble Garden. Thank you all.
"Art in the Garden" held in July was a wonderful success! There was a fabulous wine and chocolate reception one evening and lots of strollers enjoying sunshine and artists on a Saturday afternoon.
In August and September our Community Outreach garden club members meet under the oak tree at Gamble on Tuesday mornings to pick flowers for floral arrangements to be given to numerous organizations and schools. Come join the comraderie.
A fun celebration of our 90 years as a garden club will be held as a fundraiser party at Gamble Garden on the evening of September 9th ...more later. In the meantime, check out www.gamblegarden.org for classes. And remember it as a venue for your special events.
Sharleen Fiddaman, Toni Wisman
Gamble Garden co-Liaisons
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Gamble Garden - Community Day
Sunday, October 2nd, 10:am - 2:PM
As in the past, the Garden Club will be offering children the opportunity to make their own arrangements and take them home! We will have a table with lots of flowers, small glass containers, and smiles ready for the usual 200 children.
For this event, we need volunteers for two shifts 10-12pm, and 12-2pm. About 5 people per shift would be wonderful. It is so much fun!
Please e-mail Lonnie_zarem@sbcglobal.net.
Also, we need more small bottles for the arrangements. About 4 to 6 inches high with somewhat narrow openings would be perfect, but anything close will work too. These can be dropped off at Lonnie Zarem's house (front porch is fine).
Thank You for your help. This is a wonderful event!
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Community Outreach 2011
Thank you, to all the Garden Club Members who participated in making beautiful arrangements from the glorious Gamble Garden cutting beds from July 26th to September 13th. The Community Outreach volunteers distributed at least one bouquet to 80 Palo Alto public facilities this summer.
Roses, dahlias, zinnias, alastroemeria, to name a few blooms grown by Paul Althouse were bountiful all summer. We chose from a variety of vivid colors such as fuchsia, red, orange, pink, purple, yellow and many shades of white. The donated baskets and vases were artistically filled by three to four volunteers each morning in a few hours under the grand Oak tree. Everyone had fun sharing their passion and delight for the variety of colors and types of flowers. Pictures of the arrangements were often taken before they were packed up by each volunteer and delivered to a Palo Alto Public Facility on the list.
Each lobby or greeting desk at every community center, public library and every Palo Alto school and District office received at least one arrangement. The health, child, family, and arts centers were also recipients. The Police Department, City Hall, Veteran's Hospital, The Ronald McDonald House, Fire Stations and Senior Facilities also received a bouquet of Gamble flowers. We received lovely thank you notes from many recipients.
A special thank you to Gwen Whittier, Garden Club member and Gamble Garden representative, who helped us organize the outreach session, Paul Althouse for the new varieties of flowers and prolific beds of colors and textures and Vanessa Roach, Garden Club member and Gamble Garden Director who reinforces the positive connection between Gamble Garden and the Garden Club of Palo Alto.
We extend a very special thank you to all the Garden Club Members who volunteered, created and delivered beautiful arrangements at one or more of the six outreach sessions.
Heidi Schwenk &
Lonnie Zarem
We also received a lovely, kind letter from Family & Children Services, July 27, 2011, via Sharlene Fiddamen per Gamble Garden.
Dear Ms. Roach,
We are so enjoying the beautiful bouquet that arrived at our office yesterday (July 26, 2011) from the Garden Club of Palo Alto and Gamble Garden. The summer colors are so vibrant, and the flowers have brightened our lobby for our child, teen, and adult counseling clients.
I would like to take the opportunity to share with you the news of the selection of Family & Children Services' new CEO. Diana Neiman was selected as CEO by our Board of Directors in May. She joined the Agency in November as CFO. I have enclosed an announcement with her brief biography.
We would like to thank Gamble Garden for thinking of our clients and sharing this beauty with us.
Sincerely,
Maryanne McGlothlin
Director of Development
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Conservation
 CARPOOL AND CAMARADERIE! Nancy Wong is passionate about her goal to build community and camaraderie in The Garden Club of Palo Alto and has asked the Conservation Committee to work on a plan to encourage members to either walk or carpool to meetings with other members. While lowering our carbon footprint, we would also have the opportunity to spend a few extra minutes getting to know each other. We all agree this is a great idea! Our warmest thanks to the twenty members who signed up to be carpool drivers! With your support we are able to kick-off the carpool initiative for our first meeting in September. You can find the Carpool Driver list on the password-protected area of the Garden Club Website: http://www.gardenclubofpaloalto.org/. If you have not signed up to access the password-protected pages, it is very easy. Just click on the "Members Register" button on the right side of the Garden Club homepage and submit a username and password. It will be approved within about 24 hours, and then you will be able to access the password- protected pages and check out the Carpool Driver list! If you would like to add your name to the volunteer driver list, please email Eleanor Laney at eleanorlaney@gmail.com. The Conservation Committee hopes you agree that walking or carpooling to the meetings with other members is a win-win plan.....good for the environment and fun for all of us! Sandy Cover |
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