Members of the TGCI Board, club members,  and friends, a heartfelt thank you for entrusting to me, the administration of TGCI for the next two years.

I have been thinking of what I could say at this time to express my gratitude to the many people who have lent a hand, shared knowledge, been supportive, been inspiring or that gave a ‘gentle nudge’ to keep me headed to this place in my life. First upon this list is my husband, Larry. He is a self proclaimed hole digger and muscle for my many gardening projects, a driver that will stop and let me “find” interesting things along the road on trips, and most of all, my friend. The members of the Pendleton Garden Club & members of the Central East District, especially Jim & Jane Story, who believed that I could achieve a lot more with just a gentle nudge, or a polite suggestion. To everyone else, you know which category you fit into, don’t you?

Maybe I can say just this, I am honored, proud that you would pick me to be your President, and quite frankly nervous about all the responsibility. But, I am looking forward to the future, excited about the coming possibilities, proud of the things TGCI has accomplished as an organization in the past 75 years and will accomplish in the future.

To the members of the board, to the many who have volunteered to serve another two years, and to those who are new on board, A BIG THANK YOU!! As we strive to complete existing projects and programs, we will continue to update and change to stay forward thinking to achieve the best goals we set for ourselves.

The NGC President-elect, Barbara May, has given a new NGC theme, “Nurture the Earth, Plant Natives” and a NGC project: “Seeds of Tomorrow”, the development of a school gardens project coupled with a curriculum for teaching youth the benefits of native plants, wildflowers and organic gardening. Our investment in the youth of this state are an invaluable asset, today’s youth are our future gardeners.

The theme for the 2007-09 administration is:

“Gardening with a Native Palette.” Imagine the continuing state sponsored projects as the “paint”, the projects that have served us well. Imagine the future projects that will “paint” TGCI a bright future. Imagine natives are not only the native flowers, but the sustaining members of garden clubs. This is an exciting time, the world is continually changing, change is inevitable. The Garden Club of Indiana, Inc. will embrace change as a way to provide knowledge of gardening, to aid in the protection of trees, plants and birds, and to promote civic beautification. Come along and beautify our world with natives.

Thank you, Ellen

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