| The Grass River Garden clubFounded in 1991 |
A Brief History |
Winkie Sutter and Frankie Knight began the garden club with a group of fourteen women from Delray Beach and surrounding communities in 1991. Most of these women were members of GCA clubs in their home states. They missed garden club activities and wanted to make a significant contribution to their adopted state, Florida. These founding members based their new club on The Garden Club of America principles and named it The Grass River Garden Club, taking its name from the Everglades, often called “The River of Grass.” Being in close proximity to the Everglades, club members were directly affected by changes that occurred just a few miles to the west. With the ocean dunes directly on the eastern border, the club also focused on issues of coastal erosion and preservation. |
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Conservation was chosen as the primary concern of the club. With the permission of The Winnetka Garden Club, The Chicago Botanic Garden and GCA, the club adapted the Environmental Education Awareness Program (EEAP) to Florida’s environment. This program had won the coveted GCA Founder’s Fund Award proposed by The Winnetka Garden Club. The first teacher’s manual “Wetlands” was published and introduced in the Palm Beach County schools for use in sixth grade in 1995. Other Delray Beach projects included Sandoway House Nature Center, Community Greening and Delray Beach Historical Society’s Heritage and Children’s Gardens. The educational Heritage Garden is composed of Florida native plants and creates an educational green space in an area facing increased development. Sandoway Center's native plant and butterfly garden also helps visitors learn more about the coastal environment. Community Greening is an urban forestry nonprofit that partners with volunteers in the community to increase the tree canopy and improve the environment. |
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Sponsored by The Garden Club of Palm Beach and the Winnetka Garden Club, we became the 194th member club of the GCA in 1999. Founding members: Anne Black, Lucie Bart, Nancy Cudahy (Touhey), Dorothy Deanne, Ann Gilkes, Frankie Knight, Ellie Nadherny, Mila Palmer (Stenson), Barbara Shand, Sue Smart, Barbara Stenson, Winkie Sutter, Maude Wilson. Pictured: Winkie Sutter and Sue Smart |
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The Grass River Garden Club |
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The Grass River Garden Club is a 501C(3) non-profit organization.
Our mission is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening and creative design, and to protect, restore and improve the quality of the environment through education, programs and action in the fields of conservation and civic improvement. |
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