Danbury Garden Club Committees:
Artistic Design
Artistic Design’s goal is to educate our members on principles of design including
balance, rhythm, contrast, dominance, scale and proportion, as well as the elements of design: color, light, space, line, form, pattern, texture and size.
This year our focus will be to let designers explore various themes and experiment with ideas of their own choosing. Our committee will have 2 designs each month that will be critiqued at the meeting by one or more of our trained members. For non committee members this is a wonderful opportunity for you to try your skill and get professional insight into your work. You will need to contact the committee chair ahead of time so room can be made for your arrangement.
Books
The chair takes orders for the National Garden Club’s “Vision of Beauty” calendars. There is also a small tape/DVD library of items that are available to borrow upon request.
Boutique Crafters
The Boutique Crafters Committee consists of members with different skills: some knit, others crochet, some do needlework, jewelry or crafts, and others simply come up with ideas. Our purpose is to provide a “boutique table” for our Holiday Luncheon in November where we sell the products of our work to raise funds for the Club and the community
The Committee meets the second Monday of each month, except in October. We meet at the home of one of the members or at the Danbury Museum.
By-Laws
The purpose of the committee is to review the by-laws, constitution and standing rules and recommend changes to the Board of Directors (BOD) for review, approval and final approval by the membership (by-laws and constitution). Full review of the by-laws shall be required every five years in compliance with the requirements of 501(c)(3).
Civic
The purpose of the civic committee is to enhance the ambiance of our community by promoting the beautification of downtown Danbury and promoting public interest in horticulture through gardening and civic projects. The committee is very active and meets weekly in the morning from April until October.
The committee partners with the City on horticultural projects such as planting tulips in areas along Main Street for a colorful spring display. The committee also maintains the gardens at the Old Jail (WIC), The Danbury Museum and Historical Society, the Blue Star Memorial at Exit 5, and the small garden at the rear entrance of the Danbury Library. The committee arranges for the memorial tree planting at Kenosia Park. Additionally, the committee selects a Danbury business that shows an interest in beautifying their property and gives that business a Civic Award at the October meeting.
Communications
Since August of 1999, Gleanings has been the Danbury Garden Club newsletter. It has been published to keep open the lines of communication with our members regarding recent activities, future events, and to serve as an educational tool. Gleanings is emailed three times a year to all members in January, April and August.
Any member can contribute by sending digital pictures of garden club members and activities or items of interest. Committee chairs can submit articles of interest to be included in Gleanings.
The Danbury Garden Club Facebook page was created in 2021 for those members who are interested in connecting via social media. Members can share photos of their gardens, indoor plants and information that would be of interest to our membership and the community.
The Danbury Garden Club website is danburygardenclub.com.
Conservation and Butterfly Garden:
This Committee will share the knowledge of the impact of the interaction between man and nature, positively and negatively, which we call “climate change.” In addition, we will continue to maintain the Butterfly Garden at the King Street Primary School.
Daily Bread
The Daily Bread Food Pantry is located at St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury CT. It distributes food to people in need with photo ID and proof of address. Danbury Garden Club's members make monetary donations to help support the program by either donating at the monthly meetings or by mailing a check to Daily Bread, PO Box 2, Danbury CT 06813. When mailing a check please let them know you are a member of the Danbury Garden club by writing DGC in the memo field.
Special donations are collected for both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Three to four hundred bags of food are distributed at each of these holidays. In the absence of the Chair, a Committee member is responsible for passing a collection envelope at the monthly meeting.
Garden Therapy
The Garden Therapy Committee meets on the second Tuesday each month except November which is a Wednesday. All programs start at 10:30 except November and February which start at 11:00. We meet at a Danbury convalescent center or one of the middle schools (to work with special needs students). Committee members provide containers, foliage and flowers and assist participants in making their own floral arrangement. While the committee members are helping with the plant material, music is provided by a paid musician. Handmade cards are made for each resident.
Horticulture
The horticulture committee strives to nurture the knowledge and love of gardening. We promote the use of native plants and raise awareness of those that pose a risk to our local communities.
On a monthly basis, members bring in their garden and house plants to display according to the outlined schedule. The entries are judged against the National Garden Club Flower Show standards.
In January we have an Amaryllis planting challenge. We also have two plant sales during the year. Usually in the spring and the fall.
Juniors
The Committee has been in existence for over 46 years working with youth ages 5 to 18. Junior activities include artistic design, conservation, community service, horticulture, garden therapy, and civic projects. The Juniors are often grandchildren of members and come from the Danbury area towns. The group has participated in DGC Flower Shows and the CT Flower Show as well as creating flower designs for Library Week and Books in Blooms for the Danbury Library. The Junior Garden Club meets on eight Saturdays per year. This year we will meet at The Museum at 10:15 a.m.
Theme: Celebrating Almost 100 Years of the Danbury Garden Club
Meeting Places, Hospitality and Properties
The Meeting Places, Hospitality and Properties committee is responsible for contracting for the meeting location of the board and regular monthly meetings. This committee is also responsible for coordinating the hostesses for the board and regular monthly meeting refreshments.
In collaboration with Executive Director, the Committee is also responsible for securing and storing the Club’s flower show properties at the Danbury Museum.
Program
The program committee meets once a year to outline the program topics and speakers for the next year's monthly programs. Every member is responsible for bringing ideas and speaker recommendations. All programs must meet the objectives and goals of the club.
Publicity
This Committee works closely with the Membership and other Committee Chairs to identify opportunities for publicizing Danbury Garden Club activities as well as other opportunities to attract new members.
Scholarship
The scholarship committee selects two students for our annual award of $2,000 each. To qualify, the student must be a resident of Connecticut attending full time at Western Connecticut State University or Naugatuck Community College, in good standing, in need of financial aid, and majoring in plant biology, ecology or a related field.
The scholarship committee also selects from time to time, a current or former student member of our juniors group who has been an enthusiastic participant in that group for at least three years, including at least one year of middle school, and who is or will be attending a two or four- year college program. The recipient must be recommended for the award by a current or former Chair of the juniors committee. This award may be up to $1,000.
Trips and Tours
The trips and tours committee coordinates trips to area gardens, museums and other places of interest that support the goals and objectives of the club.
The committee also sponsors trips to members' gardens.
*Other special Committees include Advisory, Awards, Finance, Historian, Nominating, Membership, Telephone and Yearbook.
*** Club Members can download and fill out a Reimbursement Requisition Form and send it to the Treasurer.
