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.
Handbook
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
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 Karen Shepard — Chair
Jackie Burke
Cheryl Cheston
Sonya Driscoll
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Marilyn Sprague
Lorraine Wallace
Sally Wood
Weeders Flower Show Awards -- Monica Church
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.
Heather Gallagher -- Chair Annette Toebe – Vice Chair
Linda Anderson --Advisor
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Biddie Edwards
Jeanne May
Christmas Decorations -- Polly Garnett
Christmas Wreaths -- Lynn Gibbons
Alice Nacey
Laura Riedel
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
Chris Cacioppo Connie Carlson
Laura Carpenter Patricia Doolittle
Hazel Hannaway
Elaine Lisle
Anne Marble
Marty Morse
Ellen Pemberton Lois Renthal
Anne Rhoads
Melissa Schweiter
Karen Shepard Marilyn Sprague Reggie Thomas Maria Thompson Mariana Wilson
Lorraine Wallace
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.
Nancy Holmes – Chair; Jeanne May – Vice Chair
Tamra Adams
Michele Bolton
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter
Julie DeVuono
Heather Gallagher
Beth Hayes
Gretchen Kiernan
Diane McCallister
Jen Fryberger
Melissa Oeth
Laura Riedel
Marilyn Sprague
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
Wendy Bailey
Laura Carpenter
Lynn Gibbons
Alice Nacey
Ellyn Spragins
Lorraine Wallace
Strafford Station maintains plantings and containers; meets Tuesday mornings in season.--
Alice Doering -- Chair, Melissa Oeth -- Co-chair
Pam Bagby
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Polly Garnett
Beth Hayes
Nancy Holmes
Gretchen Kiernan
Jeanne May
Wendy Quereau
Laura Riedel
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.
Nancy Evans -- Conservation Chair
Linda Anderson
Lloyd Brown
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church Phoebe Driscoll Heather Gallagher
Phoebe Fisher
Kim Frisbie
Patty Greenhalgh
Beth Hayes
Nancy Holmes
Elaine Lisle
Anne Marble
Diana Mason
Melissa Oeth
Ellie Penniman
Lois Renthal
Anne Rhoads
Marilyn Sprague Regina Wagner Penny Watkins Sally Wood
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.
Data Base -- Ellyn Spragins, Lorraine Wallace
Email Manager-- Ellyn Spragins
Finance meets with the treasurer to help create budget and other financial matters.
Michele Bolton -- Chair
Jackie Burke
Nancy Evans
Patty Greenhalgh Sharon Hermann
Karen Shepard
Ellyn Spragins Mariana Wilson
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.
Jeanne May -- Chair Monica Church --Vice Chair
Melissa Bullitt -- Photography Chair
Tamra Adams
Pam Bagby
Wendy Bailey
Beth Bartle
Michelle Bolton
Connie Carlson
Laura Carpenter
Cheryl Cheston
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Patricia Doolittle
Jen Fryberger
Heather Gallagher
Lynn Gibbons
Patty Greenhalgh
Nancy Holmes
Jane Kline
Elaine Lisle
Anne Marble
Diane McCallister
Patty Minehart
Alice Nacey
Melissa Oeth
Laura Riedel
Ellyn Spragins
Maria Thompson
Lorraine Wallace
Sally Wood
Founders' Fund Chair -- Sonya Driscoll
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.
Diane McCallister – Chair
Cheryl Cheston – Chair, 2021-22 Garden, GCA Representative
Lynn Gibbons – Photographer for 2020-21
Laura Mitchell – Co-Chair/Photographer 2021-22
Wendy Bailey
Beth Bartle
Michele Bolton
Laura Carpenter
Jen Fryberger
Polly Garnett
Diana Mason
Maria Thompson Lesley Undercofler
GCA Bulletin acts as liaison to the GCA to publicize news and activities of the Weeders.
Marilyn Sprague -- Chair
Governance (formerly known as Nominating) identifies and recruits members for Officer positions and the Admissions Committee.
Ellie Penniman -- Chair
Patty Greenhalgh
Nancy Holmes
Karen Shepard
Marilyn Sprague
Maria Thompson
Lorraine Wallace
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.
Elaine Lisle -- Chair, Cindy Pierce -- Vice Chair
Tamra Adams
Pam Bagby
Wendy Bailey Jackie Burke
Laura Carpenter Cheryl Cheston
Monica Church
Julie DeVuono
Alice Doering
Jen Fryberger
Lynn Gibbons
Patty Greenhalgh Beth Hayes
Sharon Herrmann
Nancy Holmes
Gretchen Kiernan
Diane McCallister
Anne Marble
Alice Nacey
Melissa Oeth
Laura Riedel
Anne Rhoads
Maria Thompson
Annette Toebe Lesley Undercofler Mariana Wilson
Sally Wood
Lorraine Wallace
Judging Rep. to GCA Alice Doering
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.
Jeanne May to serve through 2021
Marilyn Sprague to serve through 2021
Jen Fryberger to serve through 2022
Linda Anderson to serve through 2022
Maria Thompson to serve through 2023
Membership/Hospitality welcomes, and mentors new members --Mariana Wilson
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.
Patty Greenhalgh, (as Club President)
Sonya Driscoll, Delegate (Second Vice CoChair)
Lorraine Wallace, Delegate (Co-Recording Secretary)
Nancy Evans, Fertilizer Fund liaison
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.
Melissa Bullit -- Chair
Nancy Evans
Taddy Dawson
Anne Marble
Club Photographers:
Melissa Bullitt
Cheryl Cheston
Taddy Dawson
Nancy Evans
Anne Marble
Lorraine Wallace
Print and Communications requires skill in Word to create documents for the “Blue Book” and other printed materials.
Cheryl Cheston -- Chair Karen Shepard -- Vice Chair
Lorraine Wallace - Advisor
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.)
Nancy Holmes — Chair, Laura Carpenter – Vice Chair
Linda Anderson Wendy Bailey Michele Bolton
Melissa Bullitt Jackie Burke
Sandy Cadwalader
Laura Carpenter
Monica Church
Meg Devereux
Alice Doering
Patricia Doolittle
Biddie Edwards
Jen Fryberger
Patty Greenhalgh
Elaine Lisle
Anne Marble
Jeanne May
Diane McCallister
Patty Minehart
Laura Riedel
Karen Shepard
Ellyn Spragins
Marilyn Sprague
Reggie Thomas
Annette Toebe
Lorraine Wallace
Sally Wood
Scholarship identifies and recommends qualified individuals to the Executive Committee for GCA scholarship awards.
Sonya Driscoll -- Chair and Rep. to GCA, Regina Wagner -- Vice Chair
Sandy Cadwalader
Connie Carlson
Nancy Evans
Tessa Hooper
Patty Minehart
Melissa Oeth
Ellie Penniman
Cindy Pierce
Karen Shepard
Marilyn Sprague
Maria Thompson
HULL AWARD Julie DeVuono
Cheryl Cheston -- Chair, Karen Shepard --Vice Chair
Wendy Bailey
Laura Carpenter
Sonya Driscoll
Patty Greenhalgh
Anne Marble
Diane McCallister Elaine Lisle
Laura Riedel
Ellyn Spragins
Melissa Oeth
Marilyn Sprague
Maria Thompson
Sally Wood
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
