Fall Meeting: St Croix District
The Moore Center Ellsworth Maine
10:00 AM Wednesday October 16th, 2024
*The meeting was called to order at 10:10 AM by District President Dianne McMullan
The Conservation Pledge was then recited.
*Roll Call of Club Presidents and/ or Representatives and any changes in Officers were
recorded on paper for the District President.
Present were:
District President Dianne McMullan, Bar Harbor
Karen Kupiec, Bar Harbor (Assistant District Director)
Marilyn DeBonaventuro, Bar Harbor (District Treasurer)
Pam Bowie, Bar Harbor
Tom McIntyre, Bar Harbor (Nell Goff Scholarship Chair)
Marie Merkel, Surry (Club President)
Bob Pepler, Ellsworth (Club President)
Monica Mueller, Ellsworth (Co-VP on Convention 2026)
Gale Caddoo, Ellsworth (Co-VP on Convention 2026)
Beth Zeitlin, Bucksport (Club Co-President with Sonja Thompson)
Patty McGinty, Bucksport (Co-Chair Convention 2026 with Carol Greene)
Karen Majewski, Pleasant River (Club President)
Joan Schlosstein, Evergreen (Club President)
*Minutes from Annual District Meeting hosted by Pleasant River Garden Club were noted by
Marilyn DeBonaventuro to be without budget information as there had been a change to the
budget in the March meeting.
The minutes were moved for acceptance and approved.
*Next Annual District Meeting will be held by the Surry Club on Saturday, May 10, 2025 as per
Marie Merkel.
Status of "book" passing down to Club hosting 2025 Annual Meeting was discussed and Karen
Majewski was to check with Ora about the registration process.
Marie is putting together a collection of all Annual Meeting Invitations from the past and
requests that Clubs finding old copies in their archives forward them to her. Recommendation
was made for her to check with Cindi Kimball re the archives.
*Marilyn DeBonaventuro provided an update on the Treasurers Report and plans to present a
new format, including prior year and actual, at the March 2025 meeting.
*Status of Archive Project. Cindi Kimball is still moving forward with the archive project. New
Directorship of Woodlawn introduces some uncertainty about locating the archives there.
*Surry Garden Club received the 2024 Campership. Marie Merkel reported that $800.00 sent
one 9 yr old boy to camp for a week and $200.00 additional sent two girls to swim camp.
Bar Harbor Garden Club receives the 2025 Campership.
*A request was made by District President Dianne to submit very brief highlights of the summer
season (June-October) for presentation at the GCFM Fall Conference. Please send a copy to
Karen Johnson Karen Johnson <kaj810@gmail.com>, Website Manager, to include any info and
pictures.
Needed Now, Please!
*GCFM is proposing a new job description for District Director. A copy of the proposal was
distributed for review.
*Announcement of the GCFM Fall Conference November 1, 2024, in Augusta at a new venue.
Carpool? Register online.
*Review of Blue Star Marker status was tabled and will be discussed at the next meeting.
*Convention 2026 Need Representatives from all Clubs!! Patty McGinty and Carol Greene are
leading the planning and Cindi Kimball will act as Registrar for the event. Monica Mueller and
Gail Cadoo will act as Co-Vice Chairs.
Incoming GCFM President is to visit the area this fall and will want to know what is in the works.
The limited availability of convention venues and lodging options was discussed.
*Tom McIntyre reported the total in the Nell Goff scholarship account is $42,783.90, interest
accrued was $3,719.59 out of which $3,000.00 was awarded in 2024 to Lillian Frank. Notices for
the 2025 Scholarship are being prepared, applications will be due on March 1.
It was proposed and accepted that the award be $2,000.00 for 2025 in anticipation of interest
payments and donations to the current interest amount. Karen Majewski said she would check
with the Treasurer of her Club to make sure the Raffle proceeds at the 2024 Annual Meeting
were forwarded to the District.
Tom will send out the applications and recommendations of the Committee to the District on
March 4, 2025. Approval to be voted on at the March 11 District Meeting.
*Next meeting by Zoom TBD
*Adjourn 11:15 AM
Respectfully Submitted,
Joan Schlosstein
10/16/2024