Celebrate 95 years with the Bay Shore Garden Club

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The Bay Shore Garden Club’s roots have been growing strong and deep for 95 years. All are welcome to celebrate the monumental occasion at the anniversary luncheon at Captain Bill’s on Tuesday, Aug. 13, beginning at 11:30 a.m.

The Bay Shore Garden Club is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers, firmly planted in providing education, resources, and networking opportunities that promote the love of gardening, and encourage the participation in civic and environmental responsibilities.

In the club’s early years, members distributed flower seeds to local schools and encouraged the youth to have a passion for gardening and have since expanded its youth initiatives. The garden club distributes annual scholarships to Bay Shore High School students, donates children’s book bags for lending from the public library with seasonally themed learning activities, and partners with the Jacob Marley Foundation to create garden-related activities.

Additionally, members of the garden club create lesson plans for Bay Shore students, centered around gardening and the environment.

“We have monthly programs where we read a book to students and are trying to get a pollinator garden in every building. Each book has a lesson to go with it, with vocabulary words,” explained Gail Farrell, a retired Bay Shore teacher and current co-president of the garden club. “If we do not go into a teacher’s individual classroom, the lesson plan is online, and any teacher can access it, as we try to be inclusive. We also work with the WIN/WOW program at Bay Shore schools to have all of the children experience the different gardens we have.”

Bay Shore Garden Club members keep the community green and pollinator friendly by planting and maintaining local gardens, including gardens at the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Library, Bay Shore Middle School, Brook Avenue Elementary School, Fifth Avenue Elementary School, Gardiner Manor Elementary School, the Historical Society herb garden, and the Reflection Garden, in partnership with the Bay Shore Beautification Society. These gardens include a Blue Star Memorial at the Reflection Garden and a 9/11 Blue Star Memorial Garden at the middle school.

Garden club members brighten the lives of local residents by creating seasonal arrangements for residents of Momentum at South Bay and decorating the Bayard Cutting Arboretum during the holiday season. They even provide monthly monetary support to Sudan’s water project and local food pantries.

To celebrate Bay Shore Garden Club’s accomplishments and their strides to improve the greater community, join members at their 95th anniversary luncheon at Captain Bill’s. Longtime resident, artist, and author Holly Gordon will be giving a presentation as the afternoon’s featured speaker. Attendees will enjoy a historic retrospective, raffles, and more, in addition to a delicious meal.

Tickets to attend cost $60 per person. Checks can be made payable to Nancy Hoffman and sent to 83 Garner Lane, Bay Shore, NY 11706. In addition to the check, please indicate the names and amount of people, an email address, and any garden club or company affiliation.

For more information about the club, visit www.BayShoreGardenClub.com.

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Photo courtesy of the Bay Shore Garden Club