Annual Report from the Education Committee

Silver Lakes Garden Club

March 2020
Our mission continues to include: identification of educational needs, provision of
educational materials and programs for our garden club members and our Silver Lakes
community.

Our 2020 Committee consisted of the following members: co-chairs: Jane Barry and Gail
Miller, Secretary: Roma Benson, Garden Tips: Vicki Lockey and Dominique Palacios, and
Margaret Raake. Nancy Kroupa remains part of our committee and took on the role of
public relations person for SL Garden Club. Vickey Lockey, our orchid consultant, was on
a leave of absence from our committee for the 2020 season.

We met two times during the season to plan and organize the following events:

1. Our Florida Environment presented by Clark Rylas took place on Tuesday, January
from noon – 1:30 at the Diamond Clubhouse. Clark is the Community Forestry Assistant
with the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center. Clark is a tri county forester educating
landowners and the public on exotic and conservation management in SW Florida. 64
residents attended. Our social committee served refreshments to attendees and 3 potted
plants were given as door prizes.

2. Orchid Presentation Symposium by Twyla Leigh, Director of U of Florida Extension

Service in Collier County spoke about types of orchids, their care, and how to mount them.
She spent a lot of the time answering questions from the community. 110 people attended
and were able to purchase orchids for sale for $20. 40 orchids were sold raising money for
the garden club. A book about the care of orchids was given as a door prize. A Chinese
auction was held to sell the three birdbaths crafted and contributed by Anita Vallone. The
proceeds went to the garden club. Our social committee served refreshments.

3. A Field Trip was planned for Garden Club members only on Thursday, March 19th to
Lunch at the Ridgeway on Third Avenue and a Palm Cottage tour. The event had to be
cancelled due to due to the Covid 19 disease.
 4. The Garden Club Library Shelf continues to be utilized by the park residents. Three
new books were purchased from the Naples Botanical Gardens Resource Shelf covering the
types and care of Orchids and Air Plants.

5. Education Tips continue to be placed in Coffee Notes covering a variety of local

educational events and garden related topics.

Plans for 2021 Season:

Plans are being considered for the following events:

1. Tuesday, January 12, 2021 from 12- 1:30 is being considered for an educational
presentation for the residents of Silver Lakes at the Diamond Club House.
(Hopefully on Container Gardening).

2. February 2021 - Our committee will be spending time planning for the Garden
Walk and House Tour in March. Committee member Margaret Raake will be our liaison
between the educational walk and the committee organizing the house tour. We plan to
include educators and vendors along the garden walk.

3. Sunday, March 7, 2021 12- 4 p.m. Our House and Garden Tour. This will be an
event for the whole community and will be a fundraiser for the Garden Club.

Thank you to our dedicated Social Committee and the members of the Silver Lakes Garden
Club for their continued support and participation in our 2020 educational year.

We hope our present education committee members will continue to be on our committee
for our 2020 year and any members of the SLGC are certainly welcome to join our
education committee.

Our report is respectfully submitted to the chairpersons of the Silver Lakes Garden Club,

Jane Barry and Gail Miller