Term: 2007 to 2008

Photo by Jeannette Michelson

I have spent summers on Long Beach Island with my husband Doug and our three children since 1978. We retired to our bayfront home in Harvey Cedars in 1996. I joined The Garden Club of Long Beach Island officially in 2000, after working on the House Tour for two years. We enjoyed going to a Christmas tree farm to have trees cut for the homes. Our biggest was 20 feet high and covered the entire car driving on the Garden State Parkway.

Highlights of my term:

*I started the idea of making a signature wreath for all the house tour homes and eliminate all other outside decorating. We had several very cold and windy years where the outside decorations were ruined. Decided it was better to spend the money inside the home.  *Mary Turner was the Environmental chairperson and was very active in her letter writing campaign to keep the standards high for insecticide spraying.
*Garden Party – A tea was held at the Edith Duff Gwenn Garden to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the club. A harp played for us and everyone wore a hat…such a lovely day.
*Trips were planned by Bev Reitinger to tour the Grounds for Sculpture in Princeton and the Duke Gardens in Somerville. Both trips were fabulous.
*Art in Bloom at the Noyes Museum – Floral arrangements were made by the club members.
*A grant of $1000 was made to the Mainsail Program at Southern Regional High School. *We celebrated our 50th anniversary at Sea Oaks at our annual luncheon on June 12, 2008. *House Tour Boutique– About 70 women made crafts such as shell trees, lighted boxes, beaded bookmarks, and many more items. These were also sold on the day of the tour.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a House Tour chairperson, and really enjoyed my term as President. It was a very rewarding experience working with so many talented women and accomplishing so many great projects and events. The friendships were especially wonderful and treasured.