ALL ABOARD !
Garden Club members from the six states of the Deep South Region of the
National Garden Clubs, Inc. gathered in March in Chattanooga, Tennessee
for a time of festivities, programs,
networking, sharing and LOTS OF FUN ! The Deep South Region includes
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, and
this is a group that radiates the "Southern Charm" and "Southern
Hospitality" of myth and lore.
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It's a Train.
Its's a Song. It's a Hotel As we checked into the
"Chattanooga Choo-Choo" Hotel to begin the Convention, the warm and
gracious reception extended to us by our hosts from Tennessee was
immediately apparent.
A "Train Case" of goodies, a Tee Shirt imprinted with Deep South
Director Annette Stanbery's project theme of "Kids Count" and a cute
lucite mug were given to each registrant.
Our Train Case even included a Moon Pie, that delicacy of the
south that was originated, and is still made, in Chattanooga. Some
attending checked into the actual refurbished railcars at the hotel.
The sleeping cars are furnished in period appointments of the Victorian
era.
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The
landscaped Formal Gardens that grace the hotel grounds were an instant
hit with this gathering of avid gardeners and floral designers
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The Convention, reflecting Director Stanbery's theme for her
administration of "Insuring the
Legacy" was a blend of yesteryear with the future. The
convention seemed to encompass the rich heritage of bygone days with
the hopes and dreams of tomorrow.
"Kids Count", youth
projects and programs carried out throughout the Deep South, offers
ways to instruct and inspire our Youth in gardening, nature, wildlife
and related subjects.
The historic Terminal Station, at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel, has
become a grand lobby, and our activities centered upon this lovely old
facility along with the adjacent Conference Center. An authentic New
Orleans style trolley took passengers
around and about the property for a further note of nostalgia.
Those who opted to stay in the sleeping cars from the Golden Age of
Railroading, had a unique experience, one to be
long-remembered. An intriguing mix of the OLD and the NEW, the
Deep South Convention was a delight from start to finish ! We
learned that History and Hospitality can, indeed, go Hand-in-Hand.
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 Pre-Convention activities began on
Sunday as the Early Arrivals
convened for a DS Regional Council meeting, followed by a fun-filled
evening.
"Dining
Car Mystery" was the
theme for Sunday evening with entertainment
provided by the "Runs With Scissors" comedy troupe.
Invitational
Designs were placed prior to Convention in the lobby
of the Conference
Center for us to enjoy the entire time. The following designers shared
their talents with us by creating these eight stunning designs:
View: Invitational Designs
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See all the table
designs at the convention
The train-themed
centerpieces added a charming note by setting the mood Sunday evening. Each
meal at the convention had innovative
favors,
table decorations, and door prizes and we truly enjoyed
these "treats" throughout the Convention..Hours of preparation and
work go into producing these goodies and they were soooo appreciated !
We are sure you
will want to copy these Centerpieces!
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 Monday
- The
Convention kicked off, after a continental breakfast at the "Whistle
Stop Cafe" with the 2006 Convention Business Meeting, with Deep South
Director Annette Stanbery presiding. The Deep South Collect was
given
by Bonnie Borne, Advisor and Immediate Past Director. Jackie I.
Quisenberry, President of the Garden Club of Alabama, presented the NGC
Collect. The Presentation of the Colors, a lovely and moving ceremony,
was presented by the Mike Battery United States Marine Corps.
Following
the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
the Welcome
Address was given by The Honorable Ron Littlefield, Mayor of
Chattanooga. Kay Lee, President of TFGC, also extended a
Welcome,
with the Response given by Dollie Harper, President of the Garden Club
of Georgia.
Introductions,
appointments, reports, recommendations, and the other components of the
Business Meeting ensued. Varied topics of interest to the Deep South
Regional Council were presented, discussed and acted upon. The
2007-2009 NGC Nominating Committee members were introduced. We were
honored to have present, DEEN DAY SANDERS, Honorary Life President of
NGC.
Not to be left out, as
we began our Business Meeting, the spouses attending the Convention
were off to an all-day tour of the Chicamauga Military Park and the TN
Valley Railroad Museum.
The meeting concluded with announcements and the Presentation of the
2007-2009 Deep South Director, Mary W. Summerville, and the Alternate
Director, Carol Keefe, Representing the Garden Club of Alabama,
Inc. These two dedicated and talented gals will do a great job,
and we will
be assured of great achievements during their term of office.
Congratulations, Mary and Carol !
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 The "Jo Williams Players"
invited everyone to cheer, walk, run, jog, roll over or sleep in - just as long as they raise funds
and donate to The HABITAT FOR
HUMANITY LANDSCAPE PROJECT and the NGC
GREEN THE GULF COAST PROJECT at the NGC convention in Orlando this May.
Perform a skit in your state to help you raise
funds. Click Here for a copy of the skit
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Mary Helen Butler and Gina Harris
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Luncheon: The
Luncheon on Monday honored the Deep South Unified Project, "Kids
Count", and Youth Committees. The theme of the meal was "Children's
Gardens" and we were treated to a wonderful program given by a dynamic
duo of gifted educators from the Memphis Botanic Garden, Mary Helen
Butler, Education Director and Gina Harris, Program Coordinator for the
Memphis Botanic Gardens..
Thanks Mary Helen and Gina, you are truly a couple of "Tennessee Treasures" !
To find out
more about this program and print copies of their handouts to help you
create Children's Gardens click here
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NEXT STOP ON OUR
EXHILARATING CONVENTION TRAIN "RIDE" - "Tennessee
Designers on Tour
The highlight of the evening's festivities was a "Design Program",
entitled "TAKE THE NIGHT TRAIN",
narrated by Linda Ling, Deep South
Newsletter Chairman. The program,"Tennessee
Designers on Tour" featured
four great floral arrangers from around the state: Liz Williams,
District I (Memphis area); Peggy Andrews,
District II (Nashville area); Virginia Skipper, District III;
(Chattanooga area); Cindy Gentry, District IV (Knoxville area)
Each designer had been given the assignment of doing two designs, one
interpreting "Travel" and one
with a "Youth" theme. The
designers
dazzled the audience with their imaginative, innovative and dramatic
designs, using gorgeous plant material. "SAM",
a 4 1/2 year old macaw visited the Imperial Ballroom to close the
program, and we enjoyed seeing this beautiful, well-behaved bird ! WHAT
AN ENDING to a fantastic program ! Now that's what we'd call a GRAND
FINALE ! View online photo
album.
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BACK ON TRACK
TUESDAY
MORNING: 
Our Convention journey continued with the reconvening of the Business
Meeting. A lovely Invocation and Memorial Ceremony was given by Melanie
Gousset, Chaplain of the Deep South Regional Council. A highlight
of the session was the Reports of the State Presidents,
View
President's Reports:
Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. - Jackie I.
Quisenberry
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc.
- Joan Ochs
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. -
Dollie T. Harper
Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. -
Annamary K. Miester
The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc. -
Viola Harrison
Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs,
Inc. - Kay Lee
Invitations to future conventions were given by: Joan Ochs, President,
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. for the 2008 Deep
South Convention and Dollie Harper, President of the Garden Clubs of
Georgia, Inc. for the 2007 Deep South Convention
Following announcements, an invitation to the upcoming 2006 NGC
Convention, to be held in Orlando, Florida, was given by Jan Sillik,
3rd Vice President for the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs.
 " Wet and Wild" Convention
2007 will be held in Atlanta, and will be hosted by The
Garden Club of Georgia. An invitation to this special event was
given by the gals from Georgia.
As the Convention progressed, we continued to enjoy the
ambience of the glorious old
Train Depot, a setting that sparked many stories of trips taken and
occasions remembered.
We were reminded of great movies like "Murder on the Orient Express"
and "Casablanca".
Opened in 1909, the Chattanooga Terminal Station is one of the South's
most renowned
landmarks, celebrated, as we know, in a rousing song we've all sung
! This carefully-restored terminal has welcomed thousands of
travelers during the golden age of railroads.
WHAT STORIES COULD BE
TOLD IF THESE RAILS COULD TALK !
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 Garden
Restoration - Duncan
Callicott
Luncheon, with the theme, "Garden
Punctuation" followed, honoring new Deep South Life Members,
and the Deep South Scholarship Recipient. Guest Speaker, Duncan Callicott,
Landscape Architect, spoke on "Garden
Restoration" with a wonderful Power Point presentation to
illustrate his talk. With the great devastation of the recent
hurricanes in the Deep South States, this was a timely topic, a subject
that is on everyone's mind. Duncan's career really began, he said, when
he received a $100.00 Scholarship from the Garden Club of Georgia, to
study at the University of Georgia, as a young man. He is, at present,
a proud Life Member of TFGC. As a descendant of the pioneering
Donaldson family, his Aunt, a few "greats" added, was the Rachel who
was married to President Andrew Jackson.
He informed us that The Hermitage, well-known home of the Jacksons, has
been restored to an authentic 1845 "look". This beloved historic site
has also had restoration work, done by Duncan and his firm, on its
gardens and farmlands.
Photos were displayed of Duncan dressed as William Bartram, leading
Garden Tours at the home of John Bartram, father of William, in
Philadelphia. He spoke about historic gardens and the need to care for
them. They help explain the culture and way of life of the times.
He challenged the audience to combine EXPECTATION and SURPRISE in our
gardens, and to keep in mind the following: 1) Restoration, 2)
Re-creation, and 3) Renovation. Stay with the period, as a good
rule-of-thumb. He stated we MUST learn to prune properly. Garden
accessories and water features are great "garden punctuations" and he
discussed various trends in garden appointments that are in vogue now.
These elements definitely enhance the beauty of the overall designs of
our gardens and landscapes. He said, "The devil's in the details."
Remember, two MOST important considerations are: A.
Soil Preparation, and B. Proper drainage.
A garden needs constant re-assessment to keep it fresh and dramatic.
Mother Nature always wins, Duncan reminded us in his closing remarks.
The group thoroughly enjoyed his presentation, and were challenged and
inspired to view our gardens, and the public gardens we enjoy, in a new
way.
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exciting part of the luncheon was the Special
Presentation of a
Certificate of Appreciation given to Kitty Larkin, NGC President, on
behalf of the Deep South States.The presentation was made by Annamary
K. Miester, President of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc.
This was given to Kitty in recognition of her idea of establishing the
"NGC Greening of the Gulf Coast" Project, which gives HOPE to those
devastated states of the Deep South that are in need of so very much
re-planting. The resilient spirit of those impacted states was apparent
and heartwarming throughout the Convention. |
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Bluff
View Art District Tour and Tea Party
with
time to vist the Aquarium.Some went on an afternoon Tour of the Bluff
View Art District, complete with a Tea Party
at the Houston Museum. Valerie Tipps, of Chattanooga,
created a magnificent centerpiece for the table with dozens of gorgeous
roses. The tea table was filled with tempting delectables, prepared and
served by TFGC members. Everyone enjoyed the visit to the Hunter
Museum of American Art, with its period mansion, charming gift shop,
and spectacular view
of the Tennessee River and the City of Chattanooga. Signal Mountain and
Lookout Mountain seemed to stand in the distance as sentinels over the
city. Take the
Tour.
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 Following a reception
honoring Kitty and Annette, on Tuesday evening in the ballroom, we came
together for a final time, for the Awards Banquet.....the LAST STOP on our Convention journey.
Beautiful centerpieces and glowing votive candles set the stage for a
delicious meal and an atmosphere of camaraderie. A truly special
occasion. The blessing was apt:
Bless the food before us,
the friends beside us,
and the love between us.
The Guest Speaker for the banquet was our own NGC President, Kitty
Larkin. Her natural warmth and gracious demeanor shown through as she
spoke, and we all
left feeling as she's become a friend. Following the speech, the Awards
were given out.
<>View Awards - with Awards
Booklet
in PDF
Format
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During the awards presentation, the audience
watched as the constructed light pole began to lean toward the heads of
the presidents. Just as it was about to topple, Kitty rushed in
and grabbed it!
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Educational
Displays
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Posters
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Great Table Designs
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Workshops
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We learned the world's
first Coca-Cola bottling company opened in Chattanooga in 1879.
Companies that originated in Chattanooga, and are still operating, are
Brock Candy, Moon Pies, and Olan Mills. Rural America welcomed the
Tennessee Valley Authority as a source for electricity. Chattanooga,
however, is not resting on its laurels, they think of it as
"ChattaNEWga" and twenty years ago the city began a renaissance,
showcasing its history, Southern charm and the beauty of its great
natural resource, the Tennessee River. We learned that the name
"Chattanooga" comes from the Creek Indian word for "rock coming
to a point", referring to Lookout Mountain. Most impressive of all,
however, was the FRIENDLINESS of the TFGC MEMBERS, and the
WONDERFUL WARMTH of our Deep South Director, ANNETTE STANBERY,
along with the DS Regional Countil members.
From
Moon Pies to hilarious Skits...from trolley rides to southern
charm...our Convention experience was WONDERFUL, MEMORABLE and OVER
ALL-TOO-SOON !
THANKS, KAY, ANNE, PAT
and all of the Tennessee Team for a GREAT TIME !!
And
now, we simply CAN'T WAIT FOR NEXT YEAR'S CONVENTION IN ATLANTA.....
D O N ' T M I S S I T !
S
E E Y O U T H E R E !
Habitat Skit
Perform it for your Members
Get Your Script
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A time for Good
Friends to get together
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Get in the swim for the Next
DS Convention in "Wet and Wild",
Atlanta Georgia.
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Annette's Angels
(L-R) front row:
Annamary K. Miester : Lousiana ; Annette
Stanbery, DS Director; Kitty Larkin,NGC President; Joan
Ochs, Florida.
Back row: Kay Lee, Tennessee;Viola
Harrison, Mississippi; Dollie Harper, Georgia: Jackie
Quisenberry, Alabama
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Pat Best and Anne
Leonard
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Our Convention host, the
Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc (TFGC), with Kay Lee as
President, worked long and hard to make sure the Convention would be a
rousing success, and it surely was ! Kudos go to Convention Chairmen Anne Leonard and Pat
Best, along with their entire Committee, for a JOB WELL DONE !
They scored a coup by having National Garden Clubs, Inc. President
Kitty Larkin in attendance. The Convention Team was certainly "ON THE
RIGHT TRACK"......THANKS, one and all from all of us !
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Photos and Layout
M. E. DePalma,
DS Region Webmaster
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Reporter Jan Sillik,
DS Region Internet Chairman |
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