From Cynthia...
Cynthia Druckenbrod
Spring is upon us and so are the many fun, educational and interesting offerings to members of our garden club in March and April. From tackling garden nibblers to celebrating Earth Day while learning about native plants, there are classes and gatherings suited for everyone! If you haven’t been to a garden club event in a while, why not attend one of the many spring gatherings we have planned? In the meantime, please don’t forget to vote for your choice of Founders Fund projects and our very own charitable projects that make a real difference in NE Ohio.
Regarding our survey, thank you to those who completed it. Overall, 50% of our members completed the survey which is an excellent response rate. Here are some of the major findings:
1. Members generally preferred mornings or lunch meetings but also like having a few evening gatherings. Offering both daytime and evening events is best.
2. Members preferred monthly newsletters and eblasts for event reminders.
3. We should have more of a social media presence on Instagram. Several Zone X clubs already do.
4. We need an improved ‘culture of participation’. Essentially 20% of our members do 80% of the work. While this may be typical of many organizations, it is not a desirable situation. Suggestions for improving this include encouraging more mentorship of newer members. We could also require Active members to attend a minimum of two gatherings/events per year. The board discussed this at great length and it was decided that we would add to the draft Code of Regulations (which will be voted on at the June annual meeting) a statement strongly encouraging members to attend at least two events/year and if they could not, they might consider Associate member status.
5. Having a robust program of educational topics on floral design, horticulture and conservation will keep members interested and active.
These are just some of the highlights of the survey. More results can be found on our website under the archives button. Please continue to send me any thoughts you might have on how we can improve our club. Your ideas matter! Finally, congratulations to Nancy Zambie who won the $100 gift certificate to Bremec’s for completing the survey.
Happy Almost Spring!
Cynthia