“Dragonfly Daze”
The 77th Annual Convention of The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs
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Colleen McNemar – Nicol, Convention Writer
The 77th annual convention of The Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, Inc. convened July 23, 24, and 25, 2007, at the Holiday Inn, Fairborn with 256 registered members and guests.
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On Monday, OAGC members and guests gathered to pick up their name tags and goodie bags at the registration table under the supervision of Registrar Carole McNabb. For her prompt registration Marilyn Karmele won back her registration fee. Educational displays, sales tables, junior exhibits, artistic designs and horticulture exhibits were staged throughout the hotel. Afternoon clinics covered the areas of Pressed Flowers and Herbs by Greene Herb Study Group, Shady Perennials by Barb Kedler, Container Water Gardens by Joyce Buerger, Digital Photography by Toby Boedeker, Design Study with Juanita Wilkins and Faye Collins - McGinnis and Dr. James Amon spoke on Beaver Creek Wetlands.
The tables for the Monday evening banquet were decorated with lovely Fairy Gardens provided by DeGraff Garden Club of Logan County. President Babs Sabick officially called the “Dragonfly Daze” Convention to order with the introduction of Convention Co-Chairs Donna Andrew, Reg. 16 and Jill Michael, Reg. 5. Donna welcomed members and guests. Karol Klingerhofer provided the meal blessing.
After the delightful meal, the evening program recognized State Officers,Counselors, State Chairs, Liaisons, Past Presidents and Judges.
Treasurer, Jean Walton introduced New Life Members: Dorothy Wolfe, Reg. 9 MAL; Eugene Hass, Reg. 7 MAL; Cathy Detrick, Reg. 3 and New Life Patrons: Dorothy Sayre, Reg. 16; Jo Ann Graham, Reg. 7 and Barbara Treaster, Reg. 6.
Exhibitors’ and Judges’ Chair, Jo Ann Graham recognized the OAGC Judges presenting them with two year calendars. We have 54 Judges, 28 Judges emeriti and 19 Student Judges. OAGC’s newest judge, Eleanor Long and the student judges were recognized.
Jean Walton presented the Gladys Thomas Judge of the Year Award to Nancy Denlinger, Reg. 3, a garden club member for 27 years and an accredited Judge since 1987.
Juanita Wilkins introduced and presented badges to the new Master Design Judges: Doris Hager, Naomi Ormes, Chieko Arikawa, Myrna Cordray, Marylou Rupert, Faye Collins- McGinnis, Peggy Case, Jean Walton, Dottie Bates and Nancy Annis.
Artistic Flower Show Chair Aury Holt provided a challenging show featuring Japanese Haiku for the 38 exhibitors with 60 arrangements. Joni Duncan won the Judge’s Award of Distinction and Eleanor Long, Best of Show.
Horticulture Chair Peggy Case presented the Mary Alice Earhart Memorial Award to Maxine Byler for her outstanding lily.
“Hot Powered Perennials” presented by Stephanie Cohen provided us with an outstanding program on perennials. Her incredible sense of humor and deep insight gave us a wonderful and witty program on "New doesn’t mean better. It just means NEW"!! She was available after her program to sign her book for those in attendance.
On Tuesday morning self-guided field trips to Beaver Creek Wetlands, Wartinger Park Herb Garden, Knollwood Garden Center and James Ranch in Xenia, provided for a leisurely morning.
Gloria Parker provided the lunch blessing. The afternoon business meeting, began with reports from Treasurer, Jean Walton; Secretary, Janet Evans; President, Babs Sabick; and The OAGC Foundation, Sharon Ware.
Program and Therapy Chair, Martha Singleman presented superior Program & Therapy contest awards to clubs in each of the Regions. Publicity Chair, Nancie Cochensparger presented superior Publicity awards to clubs in 4 regions while Flower Show Chair Nancy Annis reported 30 Flower Show entries with 12 of the entries being County Fairs. Slides, Videos and Prints Chair Susy Spence was happy to announce a change in department name from Slides, Videos and Prints to plain simple and direct to the point - OAGC Media! This year
she had 1 Junior and 18 Adult entries with 361 prints.
Vicki Ferguson introduced Nancy Henry of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary. As the director of the Sanctuary, nearly 3000 acres of land in southern Ohio that encompasses 5 counties have been preserved. At the conclusion of Nancy’s presentation Mary Lee Minor presented the Daisy Sticksel Conservation Award to her for her tireless and inspirational efforts to “Save the Land, One Person at a Time!”
A cheerful welcome from Region 5 Director Jill Michael preceded the dinner blessing by Sharon Crossen. Following a delicious meal, Peggy Case with 446 entries in the convention horticulture show presented the Sweepstakes Award to John Adams, Reg. 3. The Runner up Rosette was presented to Sue Witwer Reg. 16.
The OAGC Citation was presented by Vicki Ferguson, to Jim Chakeres, OAGC's Ohio State Fair Flower Show liaison. Jim has worked tirelessly on the State Fair Flower Show taking time to encourage and support all who participate. When not working on the State Flower Show, he is the Executive Vice President of the Ohio Poultry Association. Unfortunately, Jim was unable to attend the convention but the award was presented to him at the state fair.
This year's OAGC Service Award was presented by Babs Sabick to immediate past president, Sarah Budnick.
Juanita Wilkins had the honor of announcing the winning entries in the Faye Collins Designer of the Year contest:
Jocelyne Davis, Deborah Graham, Sue Witwer, Carl Budnick, Esther Coyle, Sarah Budnick, Barbara Rhoades, Irma Heiser and Georgia Johnson.
Faye Collins - McGinnis then presented
the Designer of the Year Award to Sue Witwer for her Creative Design.
Master Gardener Award, the highest honor awarded by OAGC, was presented to Lois Kingsley, Region 4, who joined her local garden club after retiring and hasn’t stopped yet.
Our evening wrapped up with “Rose Magic” a program provided by Gladys Johnson, Reg. 16. A member of the Rosebud Garden Club, Gladys became interested in the art of floral arranging while exhibiting roses in the Greene County Rose Society. She developed her interest by taking design classes and attending Bob Thomas' workshops and study groups. She provided us with beautiful rose arrangements with the enthusiastic support of husband, Harvey
The final day of the convention started early with Kim Cromwell and the Junior Cnvention Awards and Junior Beautification Award. There were 167 junior entries. Awards of Merit for the Water Conservation Posters were received by Carrie Tate, Allison Brickle and Laura Kuhn. Award of Merit winners for the decorated garden apron were Carrie Tate, Austin Haney and Sara Cromwell. The dragonfly mosaic Award of Merit winners were Caden Kohli, Adila Esaak and Rachel Roberts. The Junior Beautification Award was awarded to the Little Hocking Junior Garden Club, Reg. 11.
Mary Lee Minor, 3rd Vice President, gave the Mabel Reed Award for Bird Study to Stephanie Cech of Butterflies Jr. Garden Club, Reg. 3.
Roxanne Malone, Plant Promotion Chair, reported that
Four Seasons GC of Region 4 was top in sales while Piqua
Green Leaf GC, Reg. 5, received the early bird award for the first order.
The Membership Incentive Award presented by Stephanie Patrick was earned by Basil GC, Reg. 9. Vicki Ferguson presented a surprise life membership to Danielle Sickmiller, Vicki's daughter and our convention photographer.
Babs recognized the outgoing Regional Directors for their hard work during these last two years. They are an important key to help make everything work with OAGC. Nancy Jo Esper provided the blessing for lunch.
Tom Shisler, Wahkeena Liaison, thanked all OAGC members for the financial help and the extremely good relationship that he shares with our organization and reported a very successful Gardeners' Day Out was held celebrating Wakeena’s 50th Anniversary.
Our three 2007 OAGC Foundation Scholarship Winners were present and along with their parents were introduced by Janet Evans.
The incoming Regional Directors were introduced and installed by Babs and presented with a remembrance of the occasion.
Mary Lee Minor introduced Robert C. Glotzhober, senior curator of natural history with the Ohio Historical Society. “Dragonflies for Gardeners” provided an interesting look at dragonflies, their unusual and amazing life cycle and how to attract them to our back yards.
An invitation to The 2008 OAGC Convention, “Pieces of Ohio”, July 7th to 9th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Columbus was extended by Convention co-chairs Donna Foss, Region 6 and Linda Warfield, Region 10, to come and bring a friend.
A raffle drawing for the signed Longaberger basket went to Cheryl Hay of Portsmouth and Margaret Watkins of Doylestown Garden Club won the Medium Washday Longaberger Basket and a handmade dragonfly lap quilt that was presented to Babs last year at the 2006 Convention. Babs thanked everyone who helped with this year's convention and adjourned the Convention until next year.
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