Deep South Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc.Convention 2011

    PRESS RELEASE

    Lafayette Garden Club
    Contact: Henrietta Boriskie, Publicity (337) 856-6201 (Home)
    (337) 212-3083 (Cell); hbb929@cox.net

DEEP SOUTH REGION OF NATIONAL GARDEN CLUBS 50TH ANNUAL CONVENTION,

“BAYOU FESTIVAL - FUN, FOOD, FLOWERS”

       The Deep South Region of National Garden Clubs 50th Annual Convention, “Bayou Festival - Fun, Food, Flowers,” was an opportunity to reinforce the power of our ideas about recycling, fire prevention reinforced by “Smokey Bear,” learn about “La Maison Acadienne” the Creole medicinal garden, from Dr. Ray Brassieur, granting of numerous awards and citations, and just having a good time. The Convention, presided by Mary Sue Colvin, Deep South Region Director, was held on Monday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at the Hilton Hotel, in Lafayette, Louisiana. The Deep South Region Alternate Director was Margo Racca, a Louisianian with State, Region and National Garden Club lifetime memberships. Tante La La a/k/a Diana Nolan, of Lafayette Garden Club, served as Deep South 2011 chairman. Ms. Nolan received a Citation by Director Mary Sue Colvin, for her untiring effort to bring the 2011 convention to a level of its highest intentions: coping with all egos and for “letting the good times roll.”

    The Ashland Room at the Hilton featured a Standard Petite Flower Show, with a welcoming flower- adorned world globe emphasizing the theme “Protect our World: Live Clean, Live Green.” Among the very many meritorious entries was Glenda Balliviero’s rhodendron azalea (pink azalea), which won the first place Arboreal Award Pam Braun’s display of Haworthia (South African succulents) took first place for Horticulture Excellence and Collector’s Showcase.   Award of Designers Excellence Designer’s Choice went to Kitty Cashman, which is a small stretch design. Tricolor horticulture awards went to Debby Cooper and Mary Jane Peters, for her “Oh, H20.” First place winner for educational exhibits was “Golden Daze,” which promotes planting of daffodils, went to Mississippi State Garden Club, while the educational horticulture exhibit award went to Tina Tuttle, Deep South Horticulture Chairman, for her “How Big is Petite” exhibit. Theresa Borders of Georgia’s Pine Needle Garden Club was named Deep South Region Mentor of the Year. “Deep South Regional Director Sue Colvin is shown presenting the 2011 Deep South Region Member Award of Honor to Betty Foret of Lafayette Garden Club, as Louisiana State Garden Club President Donna Bucci looks on.”

    Congratulations to all the design and horticulture award winners, and thanks to all who participated in this convention’s Standard Petite Flower Show.

    Featured speaker, Dr. Ray Brassieur, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Anthropology professor, presented a program “Inspiration for a Creole medicine garden, based on a 1933 thesis by Charles Bienvenu. Dr. Brassieur mentioned Vermilionville’s “La Maison Acadienne,” its medicinal garden, and the upcoming April 2 Vermilionville event, “Le Jardin Medicin.”

    Monday’s luncheon guest speaker, Dr. Carlos Smith, gave an interesting talk on “Plant Diversity.” Dr. Smith has a PhD in Horticulture, with a major in ornamental horticulture, was Avoyelles Parish County Agent and taught Master Gardeners’ classes. Dr. Smith is pictured with Glenda Balliviero of Lafayette Garden Club’s Horticulture Committee.

    The Flower Show Awards dinner featured entertainer Jody Beard’s “Sing Across America,” with the audience solemnly singing “How Great Thou Art.” Louisianian Jody Beard began playing guitar and piano when he was eight years old, later becoming the front man for the 21st Century Sound Affair which evolved into the band Honey. He was a radio DJ and personality in Crowley and Little Rock, AR, and later moved to Nashville. Jody currently has four Indie Record releases and resides in Lafayette where he teaches voice, piano and guitar.

    At Tuesday morning’s annual business meeting Louisiana Garden Club Federation President Donna Bucci welcomed everyone to Louisiana, followed by Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel, who welcomed everyone to Louisiana, stating that Lafayette is a Triple Crown Tree City, and this region is more than a melting pot, a virtual “gumbo.” Durel stated that “gumbo” is an African word meaning okra – our culture is so rich. Durel presented Director Mary Sue Colvin with a framed proclamation, declaring the week of March 13 through 19 as Deep South Region Garden Clubs week. Ann Daniels, President of Alabama Garden Club gave the response to the Mayor and Donna's welcome.
Gay Austin, of Mississippi stated that one lady’s husband’s response to the men’s swamp tour was that “they’d already been on a twelve-mile swamp tour, coming in on I-10 from Baton Rouge – on the Atchafalaya Basin.”

Florence Ann Ketelsen of TN, a/k/a Minnie Pearl invited everyone to the Tennessee Deep South Convention in 2012, while handing out Tennessee-made moonpies. A skit, encouraging membership was performed by the State Garden Club Presidents.

    Tuesday’s luncheon in the Vermilion Room, “Protecting our World...Living Green - Living Clean” emceed by Kathy Bedenbaugh, featured the Red Hot Mamas who entertained the crowd with their “ecology friendly” costumes. Mother Nature judge declared all the Red Hot Mamas winners because they recycle and conserve our earth. Betty Bagert received the citation from Director Colvin for promotion of the Smokey Bear Contest for our Region, as well as Kathy Bedenbaugh and Georgie Petitjean, promoters of DSR’s Live Clean-Live Green project

    The garden of Sarah and Harold Schoeffler was the setting for a Tea honoring Mary Sue Colvin, Deep South Region Director and Sara Lanier, Deep South Region Director-Elect. Tennessee State Garden Club President, Alice Overton, commented, “The committee has done such a splendid job of making a convention getaway that one would desire. The refreshments were outstanding, floral arrangements natural. Who could ask for anything greater than that of Sarah’s design?”   Pictured is the Tea's main table floral arrangement by Gloria Guilbeaux. . Jeri Melton, Tennessee voting delegate, along with Juanita Allinder, long-time Garden Club member and Deep South Region Treasurer enjoyed the sunny day seated on a bench in Sarah’s lovely garden beside the greenhouse.

    To the delight of the ladies, Lafayette Garden Club’s door prizes chairman, Kathy Van Ness, and her Committee, kept things lively, calling out winners’ names and giving out gifts at the luncheons and dinner.

    Wrapping up the Convention’s featured entertainer lineup, at the Tuesday Evening Banquet and Deep South Region Awards banquet, was Kent Gonsoulin, Cajun humorist. His unique brand of clean Cajun humor kept the audience laughing. After winning his first big contest “The International Cajun Joke Telling Contest” in 1993, he began performing individually throughout Louisiana, and touring with All Star Cajun Comedy Tour. Director Colvin cited Convention Co-Chairman Julie Haack for bringing the 2011 DSC to a delightful completion and for making it all work. Addressing the membership, Director Mary Sue Colvin referred to her six Deep South Region state presidents as “the green goddesses,” calling them the “wind beneath my wings,” closing with “Bless your hearts.”

    Musicians played zydeco music at the Sunday evening pre-Convention dinner and Cajun dancing at Randol’s. Louisiana State Garden Club President Donna Bucci said “she was impressed with all the Convention activities, taste of Lafayette and the zydeco music.” And Ann Daniels, Alabama Garden Club State President, enjoying Randols, commented that “she was having a great time and the food was just delicious.”

    So, as Tante La La would say, “I tink everyone passed a good time, cher.”

    Pictured at the Hilton’s staircase are Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc.’s Director, Mary Sue Colvin, Associate Director, Margo Racca, and State Garden Club Presidents attending the Deep South Region Convention.

Copies of DVDs of the Convention are available, and can be ordered from photographer Norman Ballieviero at Nbgr@bellsouth.net.