Calusa Garden Club Looks Back at 2017

Hurricane Irma did not interrupt the beginning of Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island’s 2017-2018 calendar. Throughout 2017, many meetings and activities confirmed the Club’s dedication to horticulture, floral design and protecting the environment.

The Club’s October meeting featured club members Donna Kay and Susan LaGrotta who educated the group about the benefits of butterflies, the habitat for butterflies and the life cycle of a butterfly.

In November, over 20 community members joined over 30 club members to hear Marco Island resident James Timmerman, co-founder of Ocean Habitats, Inc. Mr. Timmerman educated the group and the community about improving the quality of the waterways of Marco Island and other coastal communities through the installation of artificial reefs in residential areas.

In December, Theresa Chambers of Marco Island’s business Bella Florals by Theresa demonstrated her skill in arranging greens and flowers as a holiday table centerpiece. Ms. Chambers enthusiastically described her approach to making artistic arrangements with natural components, and worked on a centerpiece with Garden Club members observing.

Also in December, Garden Club members worked with Junior Gardeners of Tommie Barfield Elementary School to make bird feeders from natural organic materials. Other community activities included the Monuments Committee weeding and cleaning up the historical markers we maintain, such as the Pineapple Marker commemorating the pineapple plantation that once occupied a large area of Marco Island.

The new year of 2018 promises to be a fulfilling one for the Club. At the meeting on January 8, Alyssa Barrett, Donor Relations Associate with ECHO, will talk about Organic Gardening Around the World. ECHO is a non-profit Christian organization headquartered in North Fort Myers that equips small scale farmers, missionaries and development workers worldwide to combat hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. ECHO promotes solutions to agricultural problems and seeks innovative ways to grow food in difficult conditions.

Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island is a member of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs and membership is open to those interested in horticulture, floral design and environmental matters residing five months or more in Collier County.

Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island meets the second Monday of each month, October through March, at Wesley United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 350 S. Barfield Drive, Marco Island. Business meetings begin at 12:30 PM and programs begin at 1:15 PM. Calusa Garden Club welcomes visitors interested in our educational programs and visitors interested in membership. Contact the Garden Club at calusagardenclub@aol.com, or on the Garden Club’s website, calusa.org, or visit the Club’s Facebook page Calusa Garden Club.