April Meeting Minutes

  • Welcome and Call to Order
  • Parker welcomed and thanked hostesses (Nancy McGuirk, Nancy Hatcher, Alden Potts, Britt Hll)
  • Parker read and asked for Approval of Minutes
  • Both February and March minutes have been posted and need to be approved. Is there a motion to approve the February and March minutes by Aimee Nix. A second by Maysie Beeson. All were in favor.
  • Officer Reports
  • Vice President report by Kendrick Williams
    • Kendrick brought the hostess chart and said it was full for 2024-2025 and said this was the last time she was bringing it.
  • Second Vice President / Speech School / summarized by Parker Tekin:

The garden gets a lot of use this time of year, not just with Courtyard activities and special events like the Easter egg hunt, but our staff sit outside in this glorious weather for a quick breather. The new teal furniture and large patio umbrellas are the perfect setting for lunch or impromptu meeting. We are planning fun graduation activities out there next month as well. And before you know it, we will welcome new students to the garden for “popsicles with parents” this summer. Hard to believe we are sprinting to the finish line of another school year.

Thank you, as always, for Mimosa Garden Club’s continued support. We love partnering with you!

  • Third Vice President / Quarry Garden / summarized by Elkin Taylor:

The spring ephemeral bloom has been spectacular this year. Spring ephemerals are one of the highlights of the Quarry Garden, and a significant part of the Georgia native plant collection.

They include all the plants that take advantage of late winter and early spring sunlight to emerge, grow and flower before the trees leaf out. At that point they slowly go dormant, disappearing until the next spring. There are literally hundreds of lavender-colored fernleaf phacelia (Phacelia bipinnatifida) flowering right now. They overlapped with the bright yellow blossoms of golden groundsel (Packera aurea) for quite a dazzling display. The trillium have almost finished flowering, of which there are dozens sprinkled around in the garden. Pawpaws are flowering heavily now and we hope they set some fruit.

The Gardens team finished putting down slate chip for the trails, so they are much easier to walk upon now, compared to the wood chips we have used in the past. They should last much longer as well, allowing the staff more time to focus on the collections management rather than trail maintenance.

Nearby we have dug a new well, and are in process of hooking up the well to our existing irrigation system. This will provide more water to our currently short water supply and allow us to ensure the collections will not suffer through drought.

Olmsted Plein Air competition was this weekend, and several of the artists ventured down to see and paint the wildflowers. We also had a Homeschool Day this week, with a special station set up in the Quarry Garden by our Education staff.

We are looking for a carpenter to help us rebuild the wagon that used to be in the Quarry, ‘pulled’ by the 2 mules to demonstrate the history of this land being quarried back in the late 1800s-early 1900s. I’ll keep you posted on the progress!

  • Treasurer Report by Margaret Warren:
  • Operating account $10,387
  • Savings account $7879
  • Party account $29,937*
  • Total cash $48,203

*This is a gross balance, party dues haven’t been paid

Thanks to everyone who recommended CPA’s. Working on it and due 5/15

  • Committee Reports
  • Programs/ Alden and Britt: none
  • Membership & Dues:
    • MM – 100% paid by March 26, 2024!
  • State Garden Club Liaison/ Wawa and report given by Parker
    • Thomasville Garden Club annual flower show on April 26 and 27
  • Party Chairs (Liles Thompson and Amanda Tucker):
    • Shelby- tickets are here and ready to pick up. There are only a few that need to purchase them.
  • New Business by Parker
  • Leslie Morgan (a member since 2007) resigned. Moved to Charleston
  • Received a donation from Bettye Maddox. She just wanted to make some kind of contribution because she is no longer required to pay dues or purchase party tickets. She said the Speech School is a meaningful place for her, but the

donation should go “wherever it will do the most good for Mimosa.” We are working on this and will keep you posted.

  • We have 3 new Mimosa members! Thank you to their sponsors and endorsers and thank you to everyone who voted. Sponsors were asked to call & welcome new members plus invite them to our party.

New Members 2024-2025 Beverly Freeman Briggs Laura Hatfield Troup Ashley Fortune Whitehurst

  • The Nominating Committee has completed the slate of officers and committee chairs for next year. I am thrilled to present the 2023-2024 Mimosa Board (attached). We need to vote to elect these officers. Shelby made a motion to elect the board slate. All voted in favor.
  • Program
  • Alden introduced our speaker,Rena Ann Peck who discussed the Okenfenokee Swamp Refuge Conservation project.
  • Adjournment & Lunch by Parker
  • Our last meeting will be May 14 at my parents’ house.
  • Thank hostesses and adjourn for lunch

Oakland Tree Tour

As a thank you to Mimosa for volunteering and decorating the mausoleum in November, Oakland is offering a free tour. Email Parker if you are interested in attending.

March Meeting Minutes

March meeting minutes

Welcome and Call to Order

  • Parker welcomed everyone and thanked Hostesses – Liz Crew, Lamar Smith, Amy Smith, Rawson Grobety 

Reading and Approval of Minutes

  • Parker mentioned the minutes have been posted to the website as of March 25, She passed around printed copies if anyone wanted to read them. She said we would come back and vote later.

Officer Reports

Vice President – Kendrick Williams:

Workday in Sarahs’ Garden – pics/history/article

Second Vice President / Speech School (Mary Ayres given by Parker Tekin): 

The daffodils at the Speech School (given by late member Octavia Bernie) were lovely, but as always, too short-lived. You can see a few shots of our kiddoes in action, as they all pat “Dutchess” on the head when coming in from recess.

“Dutchess” is a commission of long-time Mimosa Garden Club member, Mrs. Tarber’s dog. It is my (Haven Long) understanding that the School planted all the daffodils in our garden in memory of Mrs. Tarber and had the statue of Duchess commissioned when they redid the garden and building in 2005.

The Speech School remains grateful for the Club’s support of the gorgeous space.

 
Third Vice President / Quarry Garden (Elkin Alston): NO REPORT
 
Corresponding Secretaries (Katie Bockstedt /Leslie Neely): NO REPORT
 
Treasurer (Margaret Warren given by Parker Tekin):

Three account balances:

  1. Operating Account:  $10,576*
  2. Savings Account:  $7,879
  3. Party Account:  $18,980

*Please note that dues to the Garden Club of Georgia have been paid, but that check has not yet been cashed/cleared. The actual operating account balance will be $9466 once that check clears.

Committee Reports

Programs -Britt Hill / Alden Potts: NO REPORT
 
Membership & Dues – Mary Mac Southerland: NO REPORT
 
Historian – Jinny Keough: NO REPORT
 
Parliamentarian – Jackie Cushman: NO REPORT
 
Website- Jennifer Hill (given by Parker Tekin)

Updates – More great work has been done by Jennifer Hill on the homepage one is able to see the upcoming hostesses, pictures of them and also RSVP to meetings online.

State Garden Club Liaison – WaWa Hines

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Peachtree and lots of other garden clubs (nationwide and in GA)are involved in trying to preserve the natural beauty and they would like our members who are

interested to be involved also. Please remember to vote by April 9, 2024.

Party Chairs & Ticket Sales – Liles/ Amanda/ Shelby
  • $75 per ticket
  • All non-honorary members must by 4 Invitations are ready
  • Party is May 8 from 6-9 p.m.

Business

  • Sarah/Mary Mac – amaryllis announcement

Sarah and Mary Mac made a poster with the entries. They awarded prizes to:

  1. 1st Place – Susan Virgin
  2. 2nd Place – Jinny Keough
  3. Last – Mary Huntz

Parker said we have 3 candidates for Voting will be open online April 1 – April 15. New members will be announced at the April meeting.

  • Parker said the nominating committee (Catherine Fleetwood, Kendrick Wiliams, Jessica Brown, Aimee Nix and Parker Tekin) met last week to work on the slate of officers for next year and we are done! We will talk about this in April / announce the slate.

  • Esther Garges/ Pattie Boykin has been in our garden club for 70 years!

    • Pattie Boykin started the

  • Historic Oakland Cemetery Tour – Tuesday, April 10th, at 10:30 m. Sign up sheet

Alden introduced the speaker, Bruce Grant, of H.G. Robertson Silver & Gifts

  • Our next meeting will be April 23 at Nancy McGuirk’s house and Rick Spitzmiller is the landscape architect.

  • Thanks again – Liz Crew, Lamar Smith, Amy Smith, Rawson Grobety

  • Adjourn

The nominating committee has completed the slate of officers and committee chairs for next year. I am thrilled to present the 2024-2025 Mimosa Board.

We need to vote to elect these officers. Is there a motion to elect the board slate? A second? All vote in favor say aye. All opposed say no.

Mimosa Board of Directors 2024-2025

Ex-officio:                                          Parker Tekin

President:                                          Kendrick Williams

Vice Pres:                                          Louise Moore

2nd VP (Speech School):                     Alden Potts

3rd VP (Quarry Garden):                    Britt Hill

Recording Secretaries:                      Abby, Allison, Kellie, Alice, Shannon

Corresponding Secretaries:               Amy Underwood/ Genie Gray

Treasurer:                                        Margaret Warren (2 year term)

Membership & Dues:                       Amanda Orr & Liles Thompson

Programs:                                        Mims Hill/ Jennifer Raulet

New Member Luncheon:                 Rae Knox/Wawa Hines

Website:                                          Jennifer Hill (again)

State Garden Club Liason:                Esther Garges

Parliamentarian:                               Sarah McElroy

Historian:                                         Jinny Keough (again)

 

 

Take action today to save the Okefenokee!

  • Email comments to Georgia’s EPD opposing permits for the Twin Pines mine.
  • Ask your Georgia legislators to support HB 71–a bill that can protect the Okefenokee for generations to come.
  • You can find your legislators here: Find Your Legislator – Plural Policy. Emails and phone numbers can be found on that website andmthe legislators’ profiles on the Georgia Legislature’s website: Georgia General Assembly

Here’s a sample message you can use. 

 As your constituent in House District          /Senate District              , I am writing to share my deep concern about proposed mining operations near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that threaten to irreversibly damage the Okefenokee’s fragile ecology.

I urge you to support HB 71, the Okefenokee Protection Act. This bill would prevent mining along an especially sensitive area adjacent to the wildlife refuge. Scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agency have raised concerns that mining in this area could cause devastating damage to the swamp’s complex water system.

Attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually, the Okefenokee Swamp is an economic driver for the surrounding towns and counties in South Georgia and for the state overall. It supports more than 750 jobs and generates more than $50 million in economic activity in the four counties surrounding the Refuge.

The largest intact freshwater wetland in North America, the Okefenokee provides habitat for numerous threatened species and serves as the headwaters of the St. Marys River and the Suwannee River. Its ecological value is so unique that it has been designated a Wetland of International Importance. The proposed mine on the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge poses an unacceptable risk to one of Georgia’s and the world’s greatest natural treasures.

I urge you to support HB 71 and stand up and speak out on behalf of protecting the Okefenokee.

Thank you,              

Alternatively, if you want to call their office directly, here are a few talking points that may help guide your conversation: Please support HB 71. Members of the House of Representatives can add their names as co-signers of the bill. Members of the Senate can be vocal about their support for the bill that is currently in the House.

  • Please encourage House Natural Resources and Environment Committee Chair, Rep. Lynn Smith, to bring HB for a committee vote before Crossover Day (February 29).
  • The Okefenokee Swamp holds significant economic, ecological, cultural, and historical value to local communities and all Georgians — and this globally treasured resource should be protected from any mining activity.
  • The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge attracts more than 600,000 visitors a year, supports more than 750 jobs, and generates more than $50 million in economic activity in the four counties surrounding the Refuge.
  • The Okefenokee is home to a stunning array of wildlife and plants. The Swamp is home to bald eagles, bobcats, black bears, and 13,000 alligators. Several endangered and threatened species reside in and rely on the Okefenokee, including gopher tortoises, wood storks, indigo snakes, and red-cockaded Over 850 plant species are found in the Okefenokee, from giant 400-year-old cypress trees to carnivorous pitcher plants and water lilies.

February Meeting Minutes

1.     Welcome and Call to Order

 

    • Welcome and thank hostesses (Mandy Culpepper, Catherine Fleetwood and Lisa Hinson)

    • Richard Harker – Oakland’s Executive Director – in charge for 4 years… Spoke about the Bell Tower where we were meeting – built in 1899, originally a chapel and office, and was the visitors center. Now just for events/meetings.

2.     Announcements

 

    • Liz Irby requested her resignation from Mimosa. She joined in 2011 and will be missed.

3.     Reading and Approval of Minutes

 

    • I’d like to approve the January minutes which have been posted on the website. Is there a motion to approve the minutes? A second? All in favor? Seconded, All in favor

4.     Officer Reports

 

    • Vice President (Kendrick Williams): Workday in Sarah’s Garden March 18? Sarah’s Garden – named after Sarah Clark & Sarah Kennedy at Second Ponce. Need 5 volunteers for 1.5 hours.

       

        • Second Vice President / Speech School (Mary Ayres): The children enjoyed a lovely Valentines Day party in the Mimosa Garden with wonderful weather. If you would like to see some pictures, let me know.

 

    • Third Vice President / Quarry Garden (Elkin Alston): NO REPORT

 

    • Corresponding Secretaries (Katie Bockstedt and Leslie Neely): NO REPORT

 

    • Treasurer (Margaret Warren):

       

        • The three account balances are:
          • Operating account: $10,596
          • Savings Account: $7,879
          • Party Account: $14,779

           

            • Total $33,254

The CPA who has prepared our annual tax returns for the past several years has retired so we are in need of a new CPA to prepare our returns. Please reach out

to Margaret if you know anyone who might be willing to take this on fro Mimosa. Her email is magswarren@me.com or 404-934-9906.

5.     Committee Reports

 

    • Programs: NO REPORT

 

    • Membership & Dues: Mary Mac

 

    • Historian: Jinny Keough –

    • I went to the Cherokee Garden Library this weekend and took a look at the old MImosa scrapbook.

    • The first official Mimosa meeting was July 16, 1928. The original officers were:

    • President: Mrs. William F. Shallenberger

Vice President: Mrs. Luther Rosser

Recording Secretary: Mrs. Dan MacDougald

Corresponding Secretary: Mrs. Walter Colquitt

Treasurer:  Mrs. Alexander MacDougald

 

    • There were 30 original members. The club was chartered with the Garden Club of Georgia in January 1930. The club’s first civic project was the garden at The Crippled Children’s Hospital (predecessor of Scottish Rite/CHOA).

 

    • The club participated in the first Atlanta Flower Show on May 22, 1929.

    • The scrapbook was started in 1937 at the request of the Garden Club of Georgia. Club scrapbooks were judged for ribbons prizes at the GCG annual convention.

 

    • Mimosa participated in the May 1934 Atlanta Flower Show and the following description appeared in the May 19, 1934 Atlanta Constitution:

    • “A red bamboo gate opens upon the Chinese garden representing the Mimosa Garden Club, flanked by jade plants placed on either side and a grass plot centering the garden. A half-moon bridge spans the lagoon on which water lilies float upon the surface. Flowering oleanders form the background with iris and lilies in the foreground. A garden seat, painted in Chinese blue and a Chinese lantern lend atmosphere to the scene.”

 

    • Parliamentarian: Jackie Cushman

 

    • Website: Jennifer Hill

 

    • State Garden Club Liaison: NO REPORT

 

    • Party Chairs (Liles Thompson and Amanda Tucker):

    • As for party tickets, non-honorary members are required to buy 4, but you can buy more. The price is $300 for 4 tickets. You can purchase these thru Shelby – she is here/not here today. Can buy tickets online thru the website. MAY 8 6-9pm

6.     Business

 

 

    • New Member Nominations – No full nominations, but I should have 1 by next week. There are 2 other inquiries. The proposal form and supporting letters are due March 26th. Online voting will begin April 1st and last through April 15th. They will need 1 sponsor and 2 people to endorse them. Also, a member cannot write a letter if they’ve supported a nomination within the last three years.

There are 3 available spots

 

    • Oakland Cemetery has offered to give us a guided tour of Spring trees or Oakland Oaks as a thank you for our participation in the Victorian Holiday Event. We are working on a date. Will keep you updated on date.

7.     Program

 

    • Britt Hill will introduce our speaker, Deb DeWitt

    • Deb DeWitt – 2018 arrival of her first hives, Terra Beekeeping in Decatur, involved in education and raising awareness of bees and their vital roles. Also works with prisons to develop beekeeping skills and arborists to save bee hives in dead trees.

    • Beekeeping 101 –
      • So many products come from the hive. Beeswax (candles, lotions, hand salves, soaps), honey

       

        • Atlanta – 40% tree/greenery coverage, so a wonderful habitat for bees

 

    • Beginning of the year for bees starts in Fall. hive management so that they can last thru the winter.
      • Queen bee lays 1500 eggs/day – biggest bee. Red dot on back.
      • Urban beekeeping is interesting b/c there are so many options
      • IN THE HIVE – Queen, worker bees (build hives) drone bees (just mate, then die)
      • Bees smell with their antennae, communicate by phermones. Lemongrass = good. Bananas = bad, alarm!
      • Deb makes: turmeric paste/honey/milk healthy drink, lip balm, beeswax, lotion bar, doggie balm, cut honeycomb, candles, creamed honey, honey.

       

        • Honey is anti-viral and anti-microbial b/c it has natural peroxide in it. Good for allergies b/c it de-senstitizes you to local trees, flowers, etc.

8.     Adjournment & Lunch

 

    • Thank speaker and hostesses (Mary H, Lisa H and Mandy C)

 

    • Our next meeting will be March 26th with Bruce Grant of H.G. Robertson Silver & Gifts talking about how to pair flowers with silver. You will receive the Punchbowl invitation next week.

January Business Meeting 2024

 

1.    Welcome and Call to Order

 

Parker welcomed everyone and thanked hostesses – Catherine Fleetwood, Emily Jordan, Shelby Neely and Sallie Smith

 

Parker re-introduced Jane Sterne, since she moved back to Atlanta.

 

2.    Reading and Approval of Minutes

 

●      Parker mentioned she would like to approve the minutes from the November 2023 meeting which have been posted on the website. Esther Garges made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted? Ginny Keough made a second? All voted in favor.

 

Parker read the Mimosa Garden Club Purpose as stated in the Bylaws.

 

“The purpose of this Club shall be to promote among its members a love for and an intelligent interest in the cultivation of flowers, of gardens and of landscapes, the beautification of local streets and highways, the encouragement of love of nature, and the conservation of plants and trees throughout the State of Georgia.

 

The Special Projects supported by this Club are the development and care of the garden at the Atlanta Speech School and the development and care of the Mary Howard Gilbert Memorial Quarry Garden at the Atlanta History Center.”

 

 

3.    Officer Reports

 

a.    Vice President – Kendrick Williams

Kendrick mentioned that she would be sending out a sign-up genius for the new members to participate in the horticulture division of the Flower Show, Primavera for February 23.

 

b.  Second Vice President, Speech School – Mary Ayres Griggs Despite the dormant lawn and the cutting back of ornamental grasses, the Mimosa Garden was a beautiful setting for the annual Hamm Center snowball fight! The event was featured in last week’s Weekly Word, ahead of the long weekend. The caption reads – Who needs real snow when you have determined teachers, a snow cone machine and enthusiastic 3s and pre-K classes?! The annual Hamm Center snowball fight took place in our Mimosa garden this week.

 

Mary Ayres passed around pictures from the Speech School.

 

c.    Corresponding Secretary – Leslie Neely, Katie Bockstedt

NO REPORT

 

d.    Treasurer – Margaret Warren

Margaret mentioned the three account balances are as follows: Operating:            $14,968

Savings:         $7,878

Party:              $7,581

Total:              $30,427

 

She thanked everyone that had paid their dues.

 

She said we make two contributions annually. They are to:

●      $2,000 to the Atlanta Speech School (provide plants and general maintenance of our garden.) She’s leaving the check here today.

●      $3,000 to The Atlanta History Center, specifically the Quarry Garden (check will be mailed today.)

 

After the party proceeds are finalized, we will make additional contributions to these organizations (40% going to the Atlanta Speech School and 60% going to the Atlanta History Center.

 

4.    Committee Reports

 

a.    Programs – Britt Hill and Alden Potts

NO REPORT

 

b.    Membership & Dues – Mary Mac Southerland

 

Parker- thanked everyone for paying their annual membership dues and said that Mary Mac has reached out to them individually if they haven’t.

 

c.    Historian – Jinny Keough

NO REPORT

 

d. Parliamentarian – Jackie Cushman

NO REPORT

 

e.    Website- Jennifer Hill

Parker asked for members to please add info@mimosagardenclub.com to their email contacts because it prevents the emails from going to Junk and Spam folders.

 

f.      State Garden Club Liaison – WaWa Hines

NO REPORT

 

5.    Business

 

●      Amaryllis Project – Parker asked people to take pictures of their amaryllises planted and send them to Alden Potts at aldenpotts@homegeorgia.com or aldenpotts@icloud.com

 

●      Parker talked how Mimosa participated in the ‘Victorian Holiday at Oakland’ event at Oakland Cemetery in early December. They had a fun morning decorating the Kiser Mausoleum. She thanked Mandy Culpepper for leading the decorating with her wonderful creativity! And thanked Shelby Drinkard, Ginny Keough, Kendrick Williams, Aimee Nix, Kellie Spalding, Lindsey Sones (biked), Mims Hill, Alden Potts, Britt Hill, and Sarah McElroy for working on this project. And then passed around some some pics.

 

●      Parker reported that Mimosa also participated in the Cathedral by Design event this past weekend benefitting the Boyce Ansley School. Mimosa provided flowers for the check-in tables for the kickoff party. Mims Hill, Liles Thompason, Julie Yates and Parker did four arrangements. Mims was a huge help and had a wonderful vision!

 

●      Parker requested everyone to make sure all of your contact information is up to date in our online member directory. She passed around a sheet to update contact information. Please complete and let me know if you need to change your mailing address as well.

 

●      Parker mentioned submitting new member candidate’s details and endorsements via the website by our March meeting (March 26th). You can find the nomination form under “Member Info” from the main menu on the website. Voting will take place April 1-15. New members will be announced at the April 23rd meeting.

 

●      Parker talked about assembling the slate for the 2024-2025 Board of Directors. We need one (1) Active and one (1) Associate member to be part of the Nominating Committee (also consisting of Past President Aimee Nix, Vice President Kendrick Wiliams, and me.)

 

Linsdey Sones nominated the Active member Jessica Brown. Parker Tekin accepted for Jessica Brown.

 

Blair Mann nominated the Associate member Catherine Fleetwood. Catherine Fleetwood accepted.

 

●      Parker said the next meeting will be February 27th at Oakland in the newly renovated Bell Tower.

 

6.    Program

 

●      Comer Yates, Executive Director, gave an update on the happenings at the Atlanta Speech School.

 

Third Vice President, Quarry Garden – Elkin Taylor

We are resurfacing all of the Quarry Garden trails with slate chips and fines. This makes a nice soft, but solid surface to walk upon and we have been shifting all of our wood chip paths to slate chip over the past year throughout Goizueta Gardens. We will begin that process next week! The slate chips are also a great substitute because they do not degrade over time the way you get from wood chips which become soil in about 6 months. The wood chip trails are also vole superhighways, and we are looking forward to the destructive creatures finding the quarry a less desirable location to live once the trails are renovated. This project may take up to a month to complete, but will be a great improvement!

 

 

7.    Adjournment & Lunch

●      Parker thanked Comer Yates, Haven Long and the Atlanta Speech School for hosting and thanked the hostesses again. (Catherine Fleetwood, Emily Jordan, Sallie Smith and Shelby Neely). She also thanked the members for making Mimosa a wonderful garden club and adjourned the meeting for lunch.