Little Garden Club of Rye Business Meeting Minutes
September 23, 2022 - 10 a.m. Jean Taplett’s home
Attended: Jean Taplett, Chris Murray, Andrea Stewart, Mary Collins, Ginny Benzak, Carolyn Brody, Fran Buckley, Sue Garofalo, Liz Garrett, Valerie Gonzalez-Molina, Debby Hansen, Amy Hardis, Maureen Kirkpatrick, Miriam Lambert, Connie Macleod, Beth Marren, Pamela McGuire, Darla Rohde, Andrea Stewart, Ann Straub, Nadia Valla (21)
Guests: Peggy Brandwein, Izzy Copus, Bea Cremieux, Beth Delaney, Julie Finnis, Sarah O'Keefe, Kelly Walsh, Stefanie Watkins (8)
Contributors to our Lunch: Ginny Benzak, Carolyn Brody, Fran Buckley, Sue Garofalo, Miriam Lambert, Beth Marren, Chris Murray, Andrea Stewart, Anne Straub.
Floral arrangements: Chris Murray.
Thank you all! Please thank Miriam Lambert who has volunteered to Co-Chair the Hospitality Committee with Mary Kelly-Kehoe.
INTRODUCTIONS: The meeting began with two of our three Provisional members providing a brief biography: Sue Garofalo and Miriam Lambert. Kendra Dowling was unable to attend this meeting. Our guests, who have expressed interest in becoming members, also introduced themselves: Peggy Brandwein, Izzy Copus, Bea Cremieux, Julie Finnis, Sarah O'Keefe, Kelly Walsh, Stefanie Watkins.
MINUTES OF THE JUNE 14, 2022 MEETING: A vote was held to adopt the minutes of the previous meeting. Mary Collins moved to accept and Chris Murray seconded the motion. The minutes were unanimously accepted.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Community Collaboration – Jean Taplett, with the help of Connie “Vanna” Macleod displaying visuals,
stated that our mission and philosophy remains the same for the 2022-2023 term as for the 2021-2022
term: “A Reason – A Season – A Lifetime” recognizing that our members have busy lives and varied
interests, and we welcome attendance and support according to each’s ability. Our Club’s strength
comes from each of our members working together whenever time allows. We need you!
Our focus continues to be on Community Collaboration working with other Rye organizations to educate
the Community on horticulture and conservation and community beautification and improvement.
2022-2023 Calendar and Cash Flow – Jean mentioned that Committee Chairs have received their
budgets and reminded everyone to provide receipts to Chairs soon after approved purchases are made.
Please remember to use the Tax Exemption when purchasing.
“Teacup Challenge” – Back by popular demand. Chris Duncan provided a Sign-up sheet for the 2022-
2023 meeting schedule which was circulated.
Chris Duncan’s Art Show – This summer, The Rye Free Reading Room had been displaying Chris
Duncan’s collages inspired by nature - “Trash to Treasure”. All proceeds from the sale of Chris’s work go
to support the RFRR. The show will close on Thursday, September 29 with a last chance to view and
purchase these wonderful collages while sipping a beverage with Chris from 5:30-7:30PM. All are
welcome!
HORTICULTURE (Valerie Gonzalez-Molina for Cheryl Adler who was traveling)
Valerie announced that “Avalanche” has been selected as the Challenge Bulb for the Annual Daffodil
Show at the Jay Heritage Carriage House on Thursday, April 13, 2023. A Sign-up sheet was circulated for
members who want to grow and show this bloom. It is a fragrant Division VIII/Tazetta daffodil also
known as the “Seventeen Sisters” for its cascade of multiple 1" flowers. A naturalizing 1906 heirloom, it
has a creamy-white perianth and a bowl-shaped, greenish-yellow cup. Height: 16" to 18". Cheryl will be
ordering bulbs very soon. The Club will pay for the bulbs. Please contact Cheryl
(cherylmadler@yahoo.com) with any questions.
Valerie also circulated a Sign-up sheet for "Lasagna Layered" Planter Workshop at Cheryl Adler's home.
Two Workshops: Tuesday, November 1st at 9:30AM and Wednesday, November 2nd at 1:00PM
Plant 5 different types of Spring flowering bulbs in pastel shades - daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, muscari,
anemone blanda - planted in layers. Participants must bring their own 12 inch diameter, very deep,
freeze-proof pot. Soil will be provided. The cost for the bulbs will be ~ $20/person or pot.
If you would like to participate, please e-mail cherylmadler@yahoo.com with the day and the number of
pots you'd like to plant.
FESTIVAL ON THE VILLAGE GREEN AND “BIG DAFFODIL DIG”– COLLABORATION WITH THE RYE FREE
READING ROOM. (Jean Taplett for Chris Duncan who was traveling)
LGCR will have a table at the Festival on the Village Green on Saturday, November 5, 2022. LGCR will
distribute five daffodil bulbs, planting instructions and a copy of The Secret Garden to all the children in
attendance. We will need volunteers to package the bulbs and instruction sheets and sit at the tables to
distribute. This is the first of a three-part schedule of events in collaboration with the RFRR. A Sign-up
Genius will be sent to all members to get volunteers for the event.
This year’s “Big Daffodil Dig” will be at the Rye Historical Society. Children will plant daffodils at the
Village Green side entrance to the Square House or between the Square House and the building next
door. They will also be given daffodils to bring home to plant.
WINTERGARDEN 2022 (Mary Collins, Beth Marren. Kathy O’Hare was traveling) – Our Annual Fundraiser
to support our Community Gardens will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2022 at the Westchester
Country Club. Our speaker will be Laura Dowling, Chief Floral Designer at the White House for six years
and author of three books on Floral Arranging. Prior to her White House assignment, Laura Dowling was
Senior Manager of Strategic Communications at The Nature Conservancy.
Tickets will be $150 with a discounted ticket ($125) for guests under 40 years of age. A Patron table of
ten is being offered for $2500 with each guest receiving a copy of Laura’s book – Floral Diplomacy – and
an invitation to meet Laura the previous evening. Laura will create three floral arrangements during her
lecture to be raffled as prizes.
Kick-off meeting to address invitations and form Committees will be held on Thursday, October 6 th at
9:30am at Jean Taplett’s home. The Save-the-Date has gone out by email. 500 paper invitations will be
mailed. There will be six tablescapes – one for each of our Community Gardens. An 8 ½”x11” picture of
each garden will be placed on the table. The tables will not be as large as last year.
Regarding the WinterGarden Marketplace, in addition to our wonderful line-up of vendors, we will be
creating hand-decorated wreaths. A wreath workshop will be held at Jean’s home after Thanksgiving
weekend – Monday, November 28th. Mary Collins asked everyone to think about additional potential
vendors and let her know of any possibilities.
COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP – (Jean Taplett for Rosario Benavides-Gallagher who was traveling) Next
year we need to start early to hire interns who are Ecology, Botany or Environmental Science majors to
weed and water the gardens at the Knapp House, RNC and the Triangle. We lost several new plants at
the Knapp House this summer. Jax at RNC and Julia at Marshlands are completing their Masters in
Environmental Science and can connect us with potential interns.
Rosario will initiate a conversation with the City to determine interest and feasibility regarding bringing
water to the Triangle. There is a 6" water main running under the Triangle. Estimated cost to connect to
it: $11,000 - $12,000.
- Meter pit: $2000
-
Backflow preventer: $1000
-
Piping: $1000
-
Design/installation: $7000-$8000
- First consideration should be given to the City’s priority and timing assigned to the Master Plan design to
create a traffic circle in the area of the eastern most point of the Triangle and whether this would
require relocation of any previously laid out piping.
Rosario will determine a date for Fall Clean-up based on weather and alert the Membership.
The new bright green Community Stewardship Safety Vest imprinted with “Little Garden Club of Rye”
was shown to the group at the meeting.
The City of Rye police have authorized the LGCR to close the
portion of Wappanocca Avenue next to the garden for safety reasons when we are working on the
Triangle. We are required to leave a message on the RPD answering system the morning of the event.
Jean announced the following “Years of Service” awards and congratulated all recipients. Award
Certificates will be distributed to each of the following:
- Dawn Morton - 45 Years
- Jean Taplett – 35 Years
- Marilyn Donahue – 30 Years (2021)
- Dolores Eyler - 25 years
- Anna Parker – 25 Years
Congratulations to all and thank you for your wonderful contributions to the Little Garden Club of Rye.
The meeting ended at 12:30pm and lunch was served.
Respectfully submitted by Jean Taplett for Karen Coombs who was traveling!!