Members' Luncheon
2023 - 2024 Meeting & Event Schedule
2023
September 11 Flower Arrangements
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
11:30 Members meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program
Marty Devenney, winner of multiple blue ribbons at the Philadelphia Flower Show, presents three floral design concepts. Learn how to create a large -scale, elegant arrangement without using Oasis; make “Pot & Fleur” arrangements in different sizes; and manipulate foliage for artistic effects. Several arrangements will be raffled off at the end of the program to lucky attendees.
September 16 West Avon Congregational Church Fair
We will once again be participating in the West Avon Congregational Church Fair. This is a Saturday event. We will be giving away plants, seeds and gardening related information. Volunteers are needed. If you are interested in participating in this event, contact Jody Morgan, Committee Chairperson.
October 16 Insects & Their Amazingosity! – John Himmelman
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
11:30 Member Meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program
John is an author/illustrator/naturalist and lecturer. He is a co-founder and president of the CT Butterfly Association. He has lectured and led many trips afield in search of various flora and fauna throughout the country for over 30 years.
It’s tough being a bug! Scores of other animals want to eat you. No matter how tiny you are, you need to find others of your kind in this great big world. This presentation will give us some insight into the remarkable adaptations these creatures have developed in order to survive. Hear stories of dragonflies and bumblebees, butterflies, and beetles; differences and similarities; and answers to questions you didn’t know you had.
John will answer questions and he will be selling and signing books for adults and children after his presentation.
October 17 Town Hall Clean-up @ 10am
Wear your garden attire and bring your tools. We will be putting the Town Hall Gardens to bed.
November 13 High Tea
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
Silent Auction, Raffle and Lunch
11:00am Members and Guests Arrive
This is the event that everyone looks forward to. Great company and fantastic food, not to mention exciting auction and raffle items too! Donations from local businesses and Club members will entice you to start your holiday shopping. Jan Brigham’s cozy knit afghans would make a lovely gift. Hospitality gift baskets, handcrafted gifts and garden related items are some of the things that are available to bid on. Who can forget the gorgeous hand sewn quilt Judy Nelson donated for last year’s event? “Attic Treasures” will be included again this year, so put aside something special to donate.
December 6 Holiday Greens Workshop
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
9:30am Member Meeting followed by workshop
Enjoy being together for this long time Garden Club tradition. Members will make wreaths and swags for town buildings and to be distributed by Avon Social Services. Please bring garden gloves, clippers, scissors and decorative garden greens such as holly, boxwood, pine and berries (no hemlock).
Non-perishable food items are welcome for the Avon food bank.
December TBD Holiday Luncheon
2024
February 12 Valentines Arrangement Workshop/Special Guest
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
10:30am Member Meeting
11:00am Arrangement making followed by lunch and Guest
Socialize with friends while making our signature Valentine arrangements for the residents of Apple Rehab in Avon. Following a bagged lunch brought from home, enjoy a special treat from our Garden Club Sister Marion Spalvieri. Marion will share the process of writing and publishing her book filled with stories of her amazing life: You Can Take the Girl Out of Brooklyn, But You Can’t Take Brooklyn Out of The Girl:
March 11 Ten Steps In The Garden Towards a Sustainable World
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
11:30 Members meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program
Nancy Ballek Mackinnon is the author of “The Gardeners Book of Charts, Tables and Lists : A Complete Gardening Guide.”She is a member of the East Haddam Garden Club and a well known horticulturalist. Her family owns Ballek’s Garden Center in East Haddam CT. Nancy will present a program about changing the way we garden to help preserve our precious earth.
March 15 – 16 Tablescapes
The North House
The Garden Club will once again be participating in the Avon Historical Societies fundraiser Tablescapes held at The North House in Avon. Last year we placed second in the competition! If you are interested in participating in the table design and set-up and/or helping at the event please contact Jody Morgan, Committee Chairperson.
April 8 Connecticut’s Historic Gardens
St. Ann’s - Father Bennett Hall
11:30 Members meeting
12:00 guests welcome for lunch and program
Connecticut is home to many beautiful and unique gardens. Sixteen historic sites dotted throughout the state with historically significant gardens have joined to form Connecticut’s Historic Gardens. These delightful places offer visitors an opportunity to explore a variety of garden styles and time periods. Laurie Masciandaro introduces you to the history and beauty of these gardens that have charmed and inspired visitors for a century or more. Laurie is the Site Manager of Historic New England’s Roseland Cottage, where she daily enjoys one of Connecticut’s loveliest gardens.
May 22 Town Planting
Avon Town Hall @10:00
This is our annual Town Hall beautification project. We will be planting at the Gazebo, Town Hall Complex and Veteran’s Memorial just in time for Memorial Day.
June 1 Member Plant Sale
Information to Come
June TBD Annual Luncheon