The Trials of Program Planning during Covid-19
Jennifer Langston & Judith McMillan
It has been quite a year and a new learning experience for all of us as we deal with the realities of Covid-19. We had programs set for the 20-21 year only to realize that this dreaded disease is not going away quickly and that alternative plans needed to be made. We are learning as we go and the programs that we have put together are quite different from those planned for initially. Our September speaker and other speakers have been postponed to some undetermined future date. In place of speakers at meetings we have devised some novel programs that we hope will appeal to Shaker Lakes Garden Club members. The programs alternate between things we feel we can do with members present and Zoom meetings.
Photo Courtesy of CMA
Now that we know we can do social distancing and are pretty safe outside, we are pleased to announce that Scott Mueller has agreed to host our September meeting as a tour of Rowdy Ridge, his extensive sculpture park. In order to keep the groups small enough to social distance, we will have two tour times, one at 9:30 a.m. and another at 1 pm. Details will be in your next newsletter, but it is important that you be fit and ready for a two-hour walk when you attend this program.
The October meeting with the Garden Club of Cleveland will be a good follow-on to the visit to Rowdy Ridge as it will be a Zoom presentation by the landscape architects Reed and Hildebrand who worked with Scott Mueller on his sculpture park. For those who are not up to the September hike, this will be a chance to see the work they did there as well as other projects.
Another novel approach to programming has been to try a book group for January. The book Genius of Place, the life of Frederick Law Olmsted is beautifully written and reads like a novel. He had a truly fascinating life. We plan to break into small groups of 4 to 6 people at member’s homes with the feeling that if we wear masks and are sitting 6 feet apart, we can have a semblance of camaraderie as we discuss this fascinating man and his work.
Details of programs will be in the newsletter as well as printed in our membership book. GCA is also working to help with virtual programs and is giving free access to all members to the special workshops such as Shirley Meneice Horticulture Conference. While we will not be together as much as in the past, we think you will not be bored this year.