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.
ACTIVITIES-- Karen Shepard- Chair
Ellyn Spragins, Vice-Chair
Elaine Lisle
Michelle Bolton
Committee Point Person
Conservation
Flower Show
Horticulture
Scholarship
Laura Murdoch
Jen Fryberger
Wendy Quereau
Coco Jarvis
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.
Karen Shepard & Melissa Oeth -- Co-Chairs. serve through 2026
click for Admissions info or see Handbook
for information about proposing a new member.
Heather Gallagher...............to serve through 2027
Linda Schanne........................to serve through 2027
Melissa Bullitt...........................to serve through 2028
Audrey Kese.....................................to serve through 2028
Archivists liaison between The Weeders and The Philadelphia Historical
Society and organizes, catalogs and maintains records and minutes.
Historian -- Maria Thompson - Chair
Marty Morse- Vice Chair
Anne Woodcock
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 Julie DeVuono — Chair
Cheryl Cheston
Nancy Holmes
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Karen Shephard
Marilyn Sprague
Weeders Flower Show Awards -- Jen Fryberger
Christmas Sale Meeting: 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
Table-Top Decorations Polly Garnet
Christmas Sale Committee
Amy Bell
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Heather Gallagher
Jeanne May
Laura Murdoch
Robin Smith
Communications
Email Manager Ellyn Spragins
Print and Publications Cheryl Cheston - chair
Marianna Wilson
Website Elaine Lisle - Chair
Cheryl Cheston Monica Church
Sue Heckrotte Ann Woodcock
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
Margery Cooper
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; Heather Gallagher– Vice Chair
Pam Bagby
Amy Bell
Lia Calhoun
Laura Carpenter
Julie DeVuono
Jen Fryberger
Audrey Kese
Pat Kiely
Laura Riedel
Karen Shepard
Robin Smith
Marilyn Sprague
Cathy Zurbach
Ronald McDonald House-- group does floral arrangements twice/year at a member's home, then they deliver to hospitals
Laura Carpenter— Chair
Pam Bagby
Monica Church
Lynn Gibbons
Pat Kiely
Marty Morse
Ellen Pemberton
Laura Riedel
Maria Thompson
Lorraine Wallace
Strafford Station maintains plantings and containers; meets Tuesday
mornings in season.--
Pam Bagby -- Co-Chair, Sarah Harrity-- Co- Chair
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Alice Doering
Polly Garnett
Beth Hayes
Gretchen Kiernan
Jeanne May
Melissa Oeth
Wendy Quereau
Marilyn Sprague
Lesley Undercofler
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.
Monica Church- Chair
Beth Hayes- Vice Chair
Lloyd Brown
Laura Carpenter
Phoebe Driscoll
Martha Edwards
Floy Ervin
Jen Fryberger
Heather Gallagher
Deb Geffkin
Sue Heckrotte
BJ Johnson
Louise Johnson
Ellie Penniman
Laura Riedel
Marilyn Sprague
Crazy For Containers!
Jen Fryberger, Kat Hassinger- Co-chairs
Laura Carpenter
Cheryl Cheston
Alice Doering
Floy Ervin
Sharon Herrman
BJ Johnson
Jane Kline
Jeanne May
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Laura Riedel
Linda Schanne
Karen Shepard
Ellyn Spragins
Data Base/ GCA
ADMINSTRATOR -- Ellie Penniman
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.
Jen Fryberger -- Chair Robin Smith --Vice Chair
Amy Bell
Melissa Bullitt
Margery Cooper
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Lynn Gibbons
Coco Jarvis
Whitney Harrison
Kat Hassinger
Audrey Kese
Patti Kiely
Anne Marble
Kim Marren
Patty Minehart
Gabriella Podsklanova
Laura Riedel
Ellyn Spragins
Anne Woodcock
Cathy Zurbach
GCA Bulletin acts as liaison to the GCA to publicize news and activities of
the Weeders.
Ellyn Spragins -- Chair
Ellie Penniman -- Chair
Governance
Michele Bolton
Jackie Burke
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.
Jeanne May -- Chair Wendy Quereau --Vice Chair
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter Cheryl Cheston Monica Church
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Lynn Gibbons
Beth Hayes
Elaine Lisle
Maria Thompson
Lesley Undercofler Lorraine Wallace
Marianna Wilson Cathy Zurbach
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 Club President)
Gretchen Kiernan, 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
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.)
Michelle Bolton -- Chair Pam Bagby -- Vice Chair
Laura Carpenter
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Jen Fryberger
Jen Fryberger
Audrey Kese
Patti Kiely
Karen Shepard
Ellyn Spragins Marilyn Sprague
Meeting
Chairs
Hostesses
Scholarship identifies and recommends qualified individuals to the
Executive Committee for GCA scholarship awards.
Nancy Evans -- Chair and Rep. to GCA, Coco Jarvis-- Vice Chair**
Sonya Driscoll- Emeritus
Patty Minehart
Ellie Penniman
Margaret Sager
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
Polly Garnett -- Chair and Rep. to GCA
Laura Carpenter