Why Belong to National Garden Clubs?

 A friend approached me recently with this comment. “Members of my club have been questioning the wisdom of remaining members of FFGC and NGC. ‘Why,’ they ask, ‘should we send $11 per member to a federation when we could just as well spend the money at home?’” New clubs want answers, too. “We’re just a neighborhood garden club,” they say. “We want to learn about gardening in our neck of the woods and to work in our community. We can do those things without being members of a federation of garden clubs.” These are good questions, and they deserve good answers.

Usually when I start delving into problems like these, I have to bring it down to a personal level. I have to ask myself, “What does my eleven dollars pay for? What does membership in the Federation bring to me, my club and district?” Put that way, I found answers aplenty. The key word is opportunity. 

The opportunity for education was the thing that had the greatest impact on me. It all began when a District I club offered Floral Design Studies. Following closely on its heels came Flower Show School. I became an Accredited Flower Show Judge and Floral Design Instructor. Then, I started writing outlines and becoming approved to teach Flower Show Schools and symposia. The learning curve has been stupendous. I cannot begin to tell all I have learned through these pursuits. 

The learning just continues as I attend symposia, judges’ meetings, garden club meetings, short courses throughout the state, and take advantage of other opportunities offered by the federation. Had I chosen, I could have gone to Landscape Design Studies, Gardening Studies, and Environmental Studies Schools. All of these are taught by leaders in the respective fields.   

Add to these the opportunities we have for participation in special projects sponsored by our leaders. FFGC President Carol Hall urges us to “Reach Out—Be a Mentor.” National President Renee Blaschke urges us to be aware of “The World Around Us” and to “Love it – Beautify It, and Protect It.” Deep South Region Director Mary Sue Colvin reminds us that “Together as One--Our Hands and Hearts are P.O.W.E.R. (Protecting Our World’s Environment and Resources). Each of these leaders has devised programs for youth and adults that encourage us to support and undertake proactive initiatives for the protection, conservation, and restoration of the quality of our nation’s natural resources.

All that’s just a drop in the bucket. FFGC offers many opportunities for learning and making a difference in our world. Think about Fun with Flowers, Digging It, our work with birds and butterflies, reclamation and recycling, water and wetlands, Bartram Trail Markers, Blue Star Markers, roadside beautification, and many other programs aimed at making our world a more beautiful place. 

There’s more. Because I belong to the Federation, I contribute to Nature Conservancy, Habitat for Humanity Landscape projects, and World Gardening and Natural Disasters. I am part of thousands of dollars’ worth of scholarships awarded each year to deserving college students. I am a part of programs for youth, such as SEEK and Camp Wekiva. 

I have the opportunity to influence legislation that will affect our environment and the welfare of our earth. Our own government agency liaison keeps us informed of legislative issues that affect the environment and formulates resolutions to help us make our voices heard. I can go to Legislative Day in Tallahassee and to the Florida Springs Rally that is being staged to call attention to the delicate state of natural springs throughout our state and to urge corrective measures.  

Opportunities abound in the Federation for honoring members. We confer life memberships in the FFGC, Deep South and NGC, if we want to. Our members are eligible for the Hall of Fame, Guardians of Gardening, Pillar of Pride, and Awards of Honor. Leadership awards can be given to individual members in appreciation and recognition of the hard work they do to make our world better. Our clubs, too, can win awards for the projects we do.