Minutes

St. Croix District Annual Meeting Minutes May 25, 2023

Hosted by the Evergreen Garden Club

Deer Isle/Sunset Congregational Church, Deer Isle, Maine

The annual meeting of the St Croix District was opened by a welcome from President Kathie

Keane of the Evergreen Garden Club.

The Conservation Pledge was led by Vice President Joan Schlosstein, Evergreen Garden Club.

District Director Phyllis Mobraaten introduced invited guests: Harriet Robinson, President of the

Garden Club Federation of Maine, and Kathy Young, Executive Director of Woodlawn Museum, Ellsworth.

Harriet Robinson recapped her presidency for the group. She brought back the “basics”,

focusing on garden activities rather than general service and “Women’s Club Activities”. Her

“Open Gardens” program was well received. There are two more gardens to visit in 2023. The

need for Zoom meetings during the pandemic years had benefits. Less time was spent traveling

and members could attend from home during long winter days and nights. Her tenure had a

bumpy start, however, now a new web site is available. Good information, fun gardening and

growing membership were just a few accomplishments members feel Harriet completed. Thank

you, Harriet. A token thank- you gift was presented --- a stylish fascinator complete with

butterflies in the netting. Harriet, with raised eyebrows, graciously accepted it and placed it

momentarily on her head. Humor helps….

Kathy Young, the Executive Director of Woodlawn Museum in Ellsworth spoke a few words.

She has accepted the request to house the St Croix District archives in the basement at

Woodlawn.

A roll call showed 13 members from the Bar Harbor Garden Club; 

8 members from the Bucksport Garden Club; 

4 from the Ellsworth Garden Club, 

11 from the Evergreen Garden Club,

7 members from the Pleasant River Garden Club and 

3 from the Surry Garden Club. 

Sea Breeze Garden Club, 0. 

Garden Club of Mount Desert, 0. 

The total of members attending: 46.

A memorial service was led by Joan Schlosstein. A flower placed in a vase after each name

was read. A moment of silence was observed.

Nell Goff Scholarship Chair, Tom McIntyre: Tom introduced Wyatt Braun , the 2023 Nell

Goff Scholarship winner. Wyatt said a few words and thanked St Croix District for the $1,500

scholarship. Wyatt will be attending Umaine Presque Isle, majoring in Sustainable Ecology.

The Treasurer’s Report: The 2024 Budget, the Secretary’s report from May of 2022 Annual

meeting and the Secretary’s report from the March 14 District Board were all accepted with a

motion from Katie Keane and a second by Joan Schlosstein.

The 2023 $1000 Campership Award: Carol Darbyshire, President, Pleasant River Garden

Club, reported the Club will sponsor 8 children to the EDGE Program camp for 5 weeks. The

camp is a 5 day-a-week, all-day camp run by The Seacoast Mission in Cherryfield.

Surry Garden Club will be offered the 2024 campership funds.

Review of the St Croix District By-Laws: Patty McGinty, SCD Executive Committee and

Project Chair. The last update and review of the entire set of SCD By-Laws was in 2007. A

complete review is long overdue. Patty will select her committee members. The report is due in

February of 2024.

SCD Archives Project: Elaine Fernald, Cindi Kimball, and Larry Mobraaten, are the core

volunteer group. They welcome additional members from the District to help with this project.

They will begin sorting through boxes of papers and making decisions about what will be stored

at Woodlawn. The group will meet on Saturdays as Elaine works M-F. Joanne Fuerst, Bar

Harbor Garden Club, will be available as a consultant and adviser.

SCD 2024 Annual Meeting: It was announced that Pleasant River Garden Club will be the

2024 location for the District annual meeting. Carol Darbyshire and Karen Majewski will lead

the project.

Annual Meeting Speaker: Abigail Barrows: A wonderful, thought- provoking presentation

was given by Abby Barrows, a Deer Isle resident who holds a Bachelor of Science from the

University of Tasmania and a Master of Philosophy in Human Ecology from the College of the

Atlantic. In addition to her research, she owns and operates Long Cove Sea Farm (oysters) in

Deer Isle . The title of her presentation was “Tiny Plastics, Big Problem: An Investigation of

Microplastic Pollution in Aquatic Environments”.

Lunch was provided by “Mariner’s Soar!”, an after-school program cooking club. Chef Cheryl

Wixson is the group’s director. The students Grades 7 and 8, did a stellar job of cooking and

serving the meal. Imagine popovers for 65!! Congratulations to them and their director. The

dessert---- tiramisu whoopee pies (Blue Ribbons at the Blue Hill Fair) made by Heather

Cormier, Deer Isle Town Clerk. The young chefs also grew ornamental flowers in the salad. The

students were: Arihana Betts, Nikolai Leadbetter, Charlotte Adams, Katherine Haynes and Lilia

Wendell.

After the lunch, tickets were drawn for the raffle items and door prizes - all happy winners. Each

attendee received a potted oxalis as a gift from the Evergreen Garden Club.

Announcements followed for the May 27 th Bucksport Plant Sale on Maine St. and the Surry

Garden Clubs sale on the same day. Bar Harbor’s 2023 garden tour will have tickets for sale on

their website starting on June 1. The Beatrix Ferrand’s Garden opening day will be in June

(During the season, the gardens are open on Thursdays only); the Deer Isle, Evergreen Garden

Tour is June 17 th with a box lunch available. The Charlotte Rhodes Butterfly Garden in

Southwest Harbor will hold a Butterfly Release Day on July 27 th .

State President Harriet Robinson reminded those in attendance that the Club of Distinction

Award is available and encouraged all clubs to apply.

Kathy Young, Executive Director of Woodlawn Museum reported they are working on a

Colonial Revival Garden. Volunteers are needed; contact Woodlawn if this project interests you.

Having no further business. the meeting was adjourned by Kathie Keane.

Kathie extended an invitation to visit the Mariner’s Memorial Park. The 23- acre former farm

is maintained by the Evergreen Garden Club. It has a pollinator garden, a one-mile long

perimeter trail, a public access gravel road to Long Cove, and picnic tables. The two Evergreen

Garden Club members who Co-Chair this project are Toni Griskivch and Phelps Brown.

Respectfully submitted,

Cindi Kimball, District Secretary

Minutes of the St. Croix District

Garden Club Federation of Maine

Spring Meeting

May 17, 2018

Northeast Harbor Neighborhood House

The Spring Meeting of the St. Croix District of the Garden Club Federation of Maine was hosted by the Bar Harbor Garden Club at the Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor.

Registration was from 9:00AM – 10:00 AM.

District Director Lynette Gaslin called the meeting to order at 10:04 AM.  

This was followed by: Gardener’s Collect - Dave Hollenberg – Surry GC

   Conservation Pledge – Anita Findlen – Ellsworth GC

   Pledge of Allegiance – JoAnne Brown – Franklin GC

Dianne McMullan, President of the Bar Harbor Garden Club provided the welcome and this was followed by the Response of Patty McGinty, President of the Bucksport Garden Club (host for the 2019 Spring Meeting).

Introduction of GCFM Past Presidents and District Directors -  Janet Merryweather, Michaeleen Ward, Mary Blackstone

Roll Call of Clubs -

Bar Harbor GC -  24

Bucksport GC -  7

Ellsworth GC - 9

Evergreen GC - 0

Franklin GC - 2

GC of Mount Desert - 0

Pleasant River GC - 0

Sea Breeze GC - 0

Surry GC – 6

In Memoriam – provided by Michaeleen Ward and Betty Crawford – Bar Harbor GC

Margaret Delahanty–  Bar Harbor GC

Mel Shaw – Bar Harbor GC

Anne Smith – Bar Harbor GC

Hoyt Clark – Franklin GC

Abbey Danke - Franklin GC

Marcelle Coffin – Surry GC

Secretary’s Report - Minutes of the 2017 Spring Meeting were provided by Secretary, Dave Hollenberg.  The minutes were accepted as read.

Treasurer’s  Report – Treasurer Larry Mobraaten reviewed the income and expenses for the District over the last year as well as the budget for the coming year.  Treasurer’s report and budget approved as read and proposed.

Director’s Report – Lynette Gaslin

Lynette thanked the Bar Harbor Club for their efforts in organizing the Spring Meeting.  She noted that people need to Step-Up when presented with a challenge. In particular she noted our challenge for officers this year and indicated she had stepped up.  Lynette also indicated that this meeting was the 80 +/- meeting of the St. Croix District. She reviewed some of the responsibilities of the Director, one being to act as liaison between the state and local garden organizations.

Fall 2018 Conference in Augusta, and the 2018 GCFM Convention in Sebasco Harbor in June.  Registration forms for the GCFM convention were available.

Committee Reports-

Camperships – Franklin sent some campers to Greenpoint last summer and will be sending some again this summer.  Bar Harbor has earmarked $800 to send 8 campers to a 

College of the Atlantic summer program.  Bucksport will have the District campership stipend for 2019.

Nell Goff Scholarship – Dianne McMullan announced that Leala Machesney, a student at UMO was chosen to receive $1000.  She was unable to attend the meeting as she started a summer internship in Massachusetts. Dianne noted the Leala also received the State GCFM scholarship.

Flowers- Mary Blackstone – Mary provided an overview of the Downeast Designers  Guild. She invited any interested people to come, no membership required. Second Monday of the month in Ellsworth, 9 AM set -up, 9:30 start.

Nominating Committee – The Nominating Committee placed the following people up for election. District Director – Lynette Gaslin (one year), Assistant Director – Dianne McMullan (one year), Treasurer – Jay Barnes, Secretary – Marilyn DiBonaventuro.  There were no nominations from the floor. The four candidates were elected to their respective office by a vote of those in attendance.

Greetings from the GCFM – Judith Tarbox, President, GCFM, brought greetings from the GCFM, and she installed the newly elected officers.  For each office she had a plant symbolizing an aspect of the office. For Treasurer – Mojito Cocktail Mint, Secretary – Rosemary, Assistant Director – Thyme, Director – Sage.  Judith expressed her appreciation for working with Lynette.

Judith thanked the District for inviting here and also thanked the Bar Harbor Club for such a great venue.  She indicated the state emphasis on planting native Maine plants and interests in developing sustaining gardens.  Judith invited people to the GCFM convention in Sebasco Harbor and indicated that Nancy Hargraves, current NGC President, will be attending.  She indicated that the Ellsworth Club received a “Plant America” Award. There is an activity to map all of the garden clubs in Maine that would allow people to know where clubs are located and how to contact them.  Finally, she encouraged people to sign up the for the GCFM Newsletter that is sent out via e-mail.

The meeting was adjourned following Judith Tarbox’s presentation.

Dr. David Yarborough, Wild Blueberry Specialist and Professor of Horticulture at UMO, gave a very interesting and enlightening presentation on “A Sweet Story: Maine’s Wild Blueberry Industry.”   Following the presentation was a buffet lunch. During lunch the reports of the individual clubs were presented. Raffle results were announced and the meeting concluded at 1:10 PM. Following lunch there were optional visits to Asticou Garden, Thuya Garden and Little Long Pond.  Next year’s Spring Meeting will be in Bucksport, date and place TBD.