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About Us

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The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc.

A Member of
National Garden Clubs, Inc.

President’s Message

Jeannie Geremia
Jeannie Geremia

2019-2021 GCNJ President, Jeannie Geremia

My President’s Theme “Paths to Discovery through Outdoor Learning Centers”

The first year of my presidency has been quite a roller coaster ride as our lives have been impacted by a naturally occurring pandemic that has been raging globally and that shows no signs of abating in the foreseeable future. The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc.’s member clubs and our GCNJ Board have had to adapt to this new reality. And, as optimistic gardeners, we are meeting the challenge and creating new “Paths to Discovery” by establishing this interactive website that is designed to be informative, inspirational and inclusive, as we reach out to people of all ages and all walks of life.

We are in the process of learning the ways in which we must now communicate – refining our computer skills so that we can better utilize the internet as we develop virtual programming, hold meetings and run workshops. We are approaching with positive attitudes so that new paths to discovery and learning can be created.

Pollinator and wildlife projects that we envisioned being established as templates for use in Rutgers Gardens, our GCNJ Headquarters, are on hold as we must follow state guidelines to keep people safe. We are elated that people are spending more time outside of their homes – in their gardens – being exposed to the wonders of nature and discovering what has always been there – the beauty and awesomeness of the flora and fauna. I confess that I am enthralled with my gardens, with the numerous birds nesting in them and with the pollinators that are feasting on the nectar and pollen.

Now, I ask for your help. Please reach out to educate the public by advocating for the passage of New Jersey State Senate Bill S92 that seeks to authorize the issuance of Protect Pollinators License Plates. Yes, a Pollinator License Plate!!!!! The three official New Jersey State Pollinators – the Goldfinch, the Honey Bee and the Black Swallowtail Butterfly – will all be featured on the license plate educating the public to the importance of growing our pollinator population that are responsible for a third of the food we eat, including fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Contact your local legislators in the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly and ask them to support and/or sponsor this important bill, joining Senator
Christopher ‘Kip’ Bateman and Senator Linda R. Greenstein, Senate Bill S92 Co-Sponsors. We can do this just as we worked to get the Goldfinch as the New Jersey State Bird in 1935; the Red Oak Tree as the State Tree in 1950; and the Black Swallowtail Butterfly, the State Butterfly in 2016.

Onward and Upward!

Our lives depend on a healthy environment!

Jeannie Geremia
President of GCNJ

Read Jeannie’s Previous Message

GCNJ
Objectives

  • To coordinate the interests of the garden clubs within the state and to bring them into closer relationship by association, conference, and correspondence.
  • To aid in the protection and conservation of our natural resources.
  • To cooperate with other groups furthering the interests of conservation and horticulture.
  • To encourage civic beauty and roadside development.
  • To study and teach the arts of flower arranging and horticulture.
  • To raise funds to support educational, charitable, and scientific causes.

The Garden Club of New Jersey Executive Board
2019 – 2021

“Paths To Discovery Through Outdoor Learning Centers”
Title
Name
President
Jeannie Geremia
1st Vice President
Cecelia Millea
2nd Vice President
Carole Iuso
3rd Vice President
Jane Bersch
Recording Secretary
Susan Berdahl
Corresponding Secretary/
Date Recorder
Marylin Hulme
Treasurer
Alison Stellita
Assistant Treasurer
Jane Bianco

Affiliations Contacts

National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Website: www.gardenclub.org
4401 Magnolia Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110-3492
Email: headquarters@gardenclub.org
National Gardener Subscriptions:
(800) 550-6007
2019-2021 NGC President: Gay Austin
Theme: “Plant America”
Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc. (CAR-SGC)
Website: www.car-sgc.org
P.O. Box 693
Millsboro, Delaware 19966
2019-2021 CAR-SGC Director: Gail Corle
Theme: “Seven Together – Planting America”
The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc.
Website: gardenclubofnewjersey.com
126 Ryder’s Lane
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
2019-2021 President: Jeannie Geremia
Theme: “Paths to Discovery through Outdoor Learning Centers”

Our History

“MIGHTY THINGS FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS GROW”

– John Dreyden

In 1924, there had been an unusually bad infestation of tent caterpillars in New Jersey and Mrs. Harold Hack, President of the Short Hills Garden Club, felt the garden club world should take some steps. She sent out letters of appeal to all garden clubs in the state asking for a fighting brigade to tackle this and future problems of a similar nature. Thirteen clubs responded and on April 1, 1925, she entertained representatives from these clubs at her home. A committee was set up to set in motion the formation of a federation of the garden clubs of the State of New Jersey. The thirteen charter clubs were: Basking Ridge GC; Clio GC of Roselle; the Dahlia Society of NJ; Englewood GC; GC of Essex Fells; Haddonfield GC; Madison GC; GC of Morristown; New Brunswick GC; Passaic Valley GC; Women Gardeners of Ridgewood; GC of Trenton; and Verona GC. By the end of the year, eighteen more clubs were added; New Jersey was the third state to form a federation of garden clubs.

The first meeting was held on December 15, 1925 at the Town Hall Cub in New York City and a Constitution and By-Laws were adopted. Mrs. Arthur M. Decker was elected President and three committees were formed: the Organization Committee; the Tent Caterpillar Committee; and the Lantern Slide Committee. Mrs. Henry V. Condict was elected Treasurer and she endowed the treasury with $10.00 from the GC of Essex Fells. A month later, the Verona GC added another $10.00 and this remained the account balance ($20.00) until the following summer. By September, there was $219.73 in the treasury.

Regular monthly meetings were held at the Y.M.C.A. in Newark. The first Annual Meeting was held in the Little Stone House in the garden of Mrs. F.A.C. Perrine, Trenton. The charge for the luncheon was $3.00 per plate.

The Garden Club of New Jersey became a charter member in 1929 of National Garden Clubs, Inc. which is a non-profit educational organization. Today, the Garden Club of New Jersey is a federation of over 100 local garden clubs throughout the state with more than 4,500 members.

This information was taken from “The Green Crusade” and “The Garden Club of New Jersey 1925-1985. Volume III, “The Green Crusade Continues” 1985 – 2010 has recently been beautifully completed by Jeanette and Loren Johnson who served on President Mary Warshauer’s Publication Committee as Chairs as they did everything as a team and Loren (Jeanette’s adoring husband) singlehandedly preserved our history in a flash drive to inspire us and future generations in the heroic commitment to spreading horticultural, environmental and creative knowledge throughout the Garden State. Please enjoy reading The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc.’s illustrious history.

Nancy Gahtan
GCNJ Historian

GCNJ History 1925 - 1985
The Green Crusade – 40 Years
GCNJ History 1925 - 1985
GCNJ History 1965 – 1985
GCNJ 25 Year History 1985-2011
GCNJ 25 Year History 1985 – 2010

The Garden Club of New Jersey HQ

Garden Club of NJ Headquarters
Holly House – Rutgers University
126 Log Cabin Road
East Brunswick, NJ
Directions

Holly House Mailing Address:
126 Ryder’s Lane
East Brunswick, NJ 08816-1331
Office Telephone: (732) 249-0947
FAX: (732) 249-0947

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STATEMENT OF GCNJ POLICIES

The EMBLEM of The Garden Club of New Jersey may not be used or copied in any way; by any club, individual, or for any purpose other than official application by the Executive Board of GCNJ. The EMBLEM of The Garden Club of New Jersey shall be used only on awards, publications, programs, etc. authorized by the Executive Board of GCNJ.

The NAME of The Garden Club of New Jersey shall not be used to endorse a candidate for office, product, lecture, tour or organization except as ordered by the Executive Board of GCNJ. The list of Executive Board members, Garden Clubs, their officers and members is not available for distribution to others except by special vote of the Executive Board of GCNJ.

(Do not post the Directory or its information on open websites.)

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