Our club has four main areas of interest: Horticulture, Floral Design, Conservation and Photography. Each has its own committee and members are expected to participate in at least one. Perhaps more importantly, our group is involved in various ways in our communities. Remember: you need not be an expert to enjoy a committee, and you may wish to join more than one in order to meet more people and learn what the committees do. Members are expected to be involved in at least one major committee, preferably more than one.
Archivists liaison between The Weeders and The Philadelphia Historical
Society and organizes, catalogs and maintains records and minutes.
Historian -- Maria Thompson - Chair
Laura Mitchell, Marty Morse
Admissions Marianna Wilson -- Chair
click for Admissions info or see Handbook
for information about proposing a new member.
Admissions
This committee shepherds the application process and ensures new members feel welcome and get involved as soon as possible. Committee members are elected to a three-year term.
Mariana Wilson ......................to serve through 2024
Jackie Burke...........................to serve through 2025
Hazel Hannaway ....................to serve through 2025
Julie DeVuono.........................to serve through 2026
Melissa Oeth ...........................to serve through 2026
Membership/Hospitality welcomes, and mentors new members --
Marilyn Sprague
Awards makes recommendations to the Executive Committee and/or the Membership for Weeders who qualify for the various Club and GCA awards.
GCA & Club Awards Marilyn Sprague — Chair
Jackie Burke
Cheryl Cheston
Nancy Holmes
Karen Shephard
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Weeders Flower Show Awards -- Jen Fryberger
Christmas Sale: at each December meeting, Weeders bring homemade
comestibles, cut winter branches, holiday decorations, craft projects and
assorted goods for sale to one another. The committee organizes and staffs
the sale. Proceeds from the sale are used to fund community projects. Some
of the winter greens are also used to make holiday tray-table decorations for
shut-ins.
Murfee Aceto Melissa Oeth– co- Chairs
Linda Anderson --Advisor
Pam Bagby
Michele Bolton
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Heather Gallagher
Jeanne May
Wreaths -- Lynn Gibbons
Table-Top Decorations -- Polly Garnett
Laura Riedel
Robin Smith
Community Affairs The Club takes on various community projects in the
Philadelphia region, some of them short-term, others ongoing. All members
are encouraged to participate as they are able.
Gazebo Garden at Bryn Mawr maintains garden weekly during the
growing season, 1-2 hours in the morning.
Cheryl Cheston -- Chair
Connie Carlson
Hazel Hannaway
Elaine Lisle
Marty Morse
Ellen Pemberton
Anne Rhoads
Marilyn Sprague
Reggie Thomas Maria Thompson
Mariana Wilson
Hilltop House Gardens The gardens of this former mainline estate is maintained and enhanced by a group of volunteers Weeders. Now part of Easttown Township, the venue is used for community events, weddings and other social activities.
Jeanne May- Chair; Nancy Holmes– Vice Chair
Pam Bagby
Michele Bolton
Laura Carpenter
Julie DeVuono
Jen Fryberger
Heather Gallagher
Beth Hayes
Diane McCallister
Melissa Oeth
Laura Riedel
Karen Shepard
Robin Smith
Marilyn Sprague
Avery Bissell Nancy Evans
Weezie Johnston
Sue Heckrotte
Ellie Penniman
Liz Price
Ronald McDonald House (St. Christopher's, Philadelphia)-- group
does floral arrangements twice/year at a member's home, then 1-2 deliver
to hospital
Ellen Pemberton — Chair
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Lynn Gibbons
Diane McCallister
Maria Thompson
Ellyn Spragins
Lorraine Wallace
Strafford Station maintains plantings and containers; meets Tuesday
mornings in season.--
Melissa Oeth -- Chair, Sarah Harrity-- Co-chair
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Polly Garnett
Beth Hayes
Gretchen Kiernan
Jeanne May
Wendy Quereau
Marilyn Sprague
Lesley Undercofler
Conservation/National Affairs & Legislation
Conservation investigates environmental projects for the committee/club
members to act upon, and reports findings to the club at meetings;
encourages members to adhere to good gardening practices, and keeps them
aware of environmental concerns. The Committee keeps the Weeders
informed on current conservation issues and promotes respect for natural
resources and responsibility for environmental stewardship. Identifies and
carries out conservation work locally; may include a hands-on project that
The Weeders could promote in our community. The Chair or a delegate attends
the NAL conference in Washington, DC annually. Makes recommendations and
manages Conservation Contributions in conjunction with the Treasurer.
Lloyd Brown , Weezie Johnston, Co-chairs
Monica Church Phoebe Driscoll
Martha Edwards
Heather Gallagher
Beth Hayes
Ellie Penniman
Laura Riedel
Marilyn Sprague Reggie Thomas Penny Watkins
National Affairs and Legislation (NAL)
Keeps members abreast of environmental legislation, both national and state, and
may suggest action on bills before the legislature when appropriate; sends a member to the annual meeting of the GCA Conservation and National Affairs Meeting in Washington, DC each February.
Nancy Evans -- GCA NAL Rep.
Crazy For Containers -- Patty Greenhalgh, Jackie Burke, Co-Chairs
Murfee Aceto
Laura Carpenter
Cheryl Cheston
Alice Doering
Floy Ervin
Jennifer Fryberger
Heather Gallagher
Sharon Herrmann
Jane Kline
Jeanne May
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Laura Riedel
Maria Thompson
Linda Schanne
Ellyn Spragins
Data Base -- Ellie Penniman
Email Manager-- Ellyn Spragins
Finance meets with the treasurer to help create budget and other financial
matters.
Laura Mitchell-- Chair
Jackie Burke
Michelle Bolton
Sharon Hermann
Nancy Holmes
Ellyn Spragins Karen Shephard
Flower Show and Floral Design creates the schedules for two Club
Flower Shows each year, runs those shows and organizes occasional
Flower Shows encompass three disciplines: horticulture, floral design and
photography. We have two flower shows plus one photography show. Overall responsibility of Photography falls under FS Chair. All members are
encouraged to exhibit, and novice classes are often included. The committee
creates the schedules for two or three intra-club shows each year, then sets up
and staffs the show with clerks, passers, stagers and registrars.
Monica Church -- Chair Jen Fryberger --Vice Chair
Pam Bagby
Melissa Bullitt
Connie Carlson
Laura Carpenter
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Lynn Gibbons
Heather Gallagher
Coco Jarvis
Audrey Kese
Jane Kline
Melissa Oeth
Gabriella Podsklanova
Laura RiedelDianne McCallister
Patty Minehart
Linda Schanne
Robin Smith
Ellyn Spragins
GCA Bulletin acts as liaison to the GCA to publicize news and activities of
the Weeders.
Ellyn Spragins -- Chair
Garden History & Design documents the written, graphic and
photographic records of significant gardens belonging to both Weeders and others in the area and submits them to the Smithsonian Institution for permanent recording.
Cheryl Cheston – Chair, GCA Representative
Diane McCallister – Co-Chair 2023-2024 Garden Submission
Lynn Gibbons – Photographer, Glenview Garden
Ellie Penniman -- Chair
Governance
Michele Bolton
Laura Carpenter
Nancy Holmes
Julie DeVuono
Maria Thompson
Karen Shephard
Horticulture plans and executes hands-on workshops on a variety of topics such as seed-starting, propagation by cuttings, trough-making and pruning; works with the Program and Flower Show committees to coordinate
activities.
Cindy Pierce -- Chair Jeanne May, Vice Chair
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter Cheryl Cheston Monica Church Julie DeVuono Alice Doering
Lynn GibbonsBeth HayesNancy Holmes
Elaine Lisle
Diane McCallister Anne Marble
Anne Rhoads
Laura Riedel
Maria Thompson
Lesley Undercofler Lorraine Wallace Mariana Wilson
Judging Rep. to GCA Alice Doering
Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America (PCGCA)
A Garden Club of America committee comprised of the GCA clubs in the Philadelphia area. A chief focus of this group is to raise funds from the
member clubs, typically for seed money for urban horticultural projects.
Nancy Holmes (as ClubCo- President)
Karen Shephard, Delegate
Nancy Evans, Fertilizer Fund Liason
Weeders Delegates attend monthly meetings of the Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America and report back to the members.
Magnolia Tribute Garden Marilyn Sprague --
Laura Carpenter
Physic Garden
Laura Carpenter, Laura Riedel, Melissa Schweiter
Photography designs the schedule for Flower Show photography classes
and may hold workshops. Also takes photos of Weeders meetings and
events for inclusion on our website and for GCA submissions.
Club Photographers:
Melissa Bullitt
Cheryl Cheston
Lorraine Wallace
Nancy Evans
Anne Marble
Print and Communications requires skill in Word to create documents for the “Blue Book” and other printed materials.
Cheryl Cheston -- Chair
Ellyn Spragins-- Vice Chair
Program This critical committee plans the meetings each year, including topics, speakers, venues and hostesses. Each Committee member is
expected to oversee a meeting. All Weeders are expected to act as hostess/helper on a rotating basis. (Sustainers are exempt.)
Laura Carpenter- Chair Michelle Bolton- Vice Chair
Melissa Bullitt
Monica Church
Julie DeVuono Alice Doering
Jen Fryberger
Nancy Holmes Audrey Kese
Elaine Lisle
Diane McCallister
Laura Riedel Karen Shepard
Ellyn Spragins Marilyn Sprague Reggie Thomas
Meeting
Chairs
Hostesses
Scholarship identifies and recommends qualified individuals to the
Executive Committee for GCA scholarship awards.
Sonya Driscoll -- Chair and Rep. to GCA, Coco Jarvis-- Vice Chair
Connie Carlson
Nancy Evans
Patty Minehart
Cindy Pierce
Melissa Oeth
Ellie Penniman
Karen Shephard
Marilyn Sprague
Maria Thompson
Cheryl Cheston -- Chair
Laura Carpenter
Sonya Driscoll
Patty Greenhalgh
Diane McCallister
Elaine Lisle
Laura Riedel
Ellyn Spragins
Melissa Oeth Marilyn Sprague Maria Thompson
Visiting Gardens arranges occasional garden visits for members and their guests. Coordinates through GCA Zone Rep. visits for members of other
GCA clubs who are visiting this area. For further information, to visit gardens as you travel, see the GCA website (www.gcamerica.org) or contact the
Visiting Gardens Chair
