By Susie Hovater Malone
Lifestyles Columnist

Officers of the National Garden Clubs, Inc., the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. and Alabama Garden Clubs have been working diligently this summer planning activities, projects and providing information for garden clubs affiliated with the NGC for the 2023-2025 administration.

Brenda Moore, of Oak Hill, West Virginia, serves as the 48th National Garden Clubs, Inc. president. She has chosen “Go Green – Plant America” as her theme. Her project is a campaign to help feed hungry people across America. The project will encourage every National Garden Club member to participate to help fight the ongoing problem of food insecurity.

According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 33.8 million people in America are food insecure, including five million children and even our elderly population on a fixed income suffering from a lack of nutritious food.

Members who have a vegetable garden, fruit or other food items are encouraged to donate some of this bounty to a local food bank or any other organization that helps fight food insecurity. Consider volunteering at a local community garden where food is donated. This could be a town-sponsored garden, a school garden, a church garden or any garden that supports feeding the hungry.

If you aren’t able to work in a garden, then give financial support to groups who do the actual work of providing fresh meals or to local schools who maintain gardens to help supplement their school lunch programs.

Debby Cooper, of Mississippi, serves as director of the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. She is a past president of the Garden Clubs of Mississippi and held numerous Deep South Garden Clubs and National Garden Clubs Board positions over the years. She loves every aspect of flower shows and truly enjoys encouraging others to be creative and develop their design and horticulture talents.
 Her theme is “Decorate the Deep South with Floral Accents.”

The Deep South Garden Clubs unified project is “Encourage and Host Flower Shows, Place Designs in Public Places and Create Colorful Plantings.”
 Kathy Sudduth is the president of the Alabama Garden Clubs. She chose “Gardening is an Investment in the Future” as the theme for the next two years. Her theme blends with the new National Garden Club President, Brenda Moore’s theme, of “Go Green – Plant America.”

“Just as we invest our money for a good return, we need to invest our time and energy into things which will be beneficial. Gardening is one of the best investments you can make,” Sudduth said.

“When we plant a tree, our children and grandchildren benefit. They will cherish the memories while we teach them the art of gardening.”
 Cultura Garden Club president Debbie Nale will plan the club’s yearbook for the 2023-2024 administration. Some of these new projects will be considered for incorporation into our club’s activities for the upcoming year.