Save the Dates for 2 Important Meetings

Advisory Board Meeting – Changing of the Guard

This meeting includes the Outgoing and Incoming Chairs of GCH Activities, Committees and the GCH Boards.

Wednesday, May 3RD - 9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.

Elisa Pye’s home, address in Green Book. Complimentary lunch to follow

Advisory Board 2022 – 2023

PLEASE FILL OUT YOUR REPORTS AND BRING A COPY TO SHARE

A template to download is available on our website on the member’s opening page. Scroll down and choose “Chairman’s Report Template”. You can download this report and “fill it in” from your computer. Please email you completed report to Lucy Chambers – lucychambers@comcast.net

The Garden Club of Houston Annual Meeting “The Changing of the Guard”

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

9:00 a.m. coffee, 9:30 a.m. meeting (outside) complimentary lunch will follow (inside)

The Bayou Club 8550 Memorial Drive, 77024

A Paperless Post will has been sent to you with an RSVP. Please be sure to respond. Thank you!

Think of all the fabulous ladies reading this newsletter… now think about who is missing.

Who are the dedicated volunteers and plant lovers we need in our club? We are looking for friends who are passionate about conservation, photography, horticulture and floral design, but more importantly, we are looking for friends who can roll up their sleeves, who can show up, and who are full of curiosity and enthusiasm. Those are the best candidates for membership!

If you know of women who fit the bill and are considering sponsoring, please attend this year's sponsor meeting: Thursday, May 11 at the home of Winifred Riser (yes, Winnie works too — I love all my names!)

Address in Green Book

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

A lead sponsor or second sponsor must be present at this initial meeting where we will go over the process and hand out Membership packets. Our club depends on our membership — let’s keep it growing!

GCH Fall Trip - San Miguel de Allende

October 23 - 26, 2023

For details about the trip, please visit the GCH website or email Trip Chair Vivie O’Sullivan – vivieos@yahoo.com

Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 3rd via email nancydaviskeely@mac.com

The trip is limited to 25 travelers

Horticulture-Conservation Planning Meeting for the GCH 2023-2024 Year

Thursday, May 11th at 4:00 p.m.

Home of Cabrina Owsley, address in Green Book

Mark your calendars to attend!

Bring your ideas for field trips for Hort and Conservation for the new GCH year.

Corresponding Secretary’s Report

March, 2023

Submitted by Lynn Swanson

Letters of Condolence

Marianna Brewster for the loss of her father, James Harris Hawley

Sarah Dameris for the loss of her father, Larry Gunn

Elizabeth Boss for the loss of her sister, Catherine Trent Klingel

Michelle Frazier for the loss of her father, Joe Tarride

Status Changes

Anne Frischkorn from Active to Affiliate

Contact Updates

Anne Frischkorn’s address has changed to 6103 Riverview Way, Houston, 77057-1209

Conservation Co-Chairs, Cabrina Owsley and Michelle Williams attended the National Affairs and Legislation Conference in mid-March in Washington D.C. For those who may not know, it is a GCA conference attended by delegates representing many clubs across the nation who come together to hear speakers, U.S. Representatives and Senators discuss conservation and other topics relating to current and upcoming bills. This year was the 40th NAL. At the end of the conference delegates meet in person or by phone/zoom with their State Senators and Representatives or their aids to express the GCA's legislative priorities.

The GCA's Legislative Priorities for Congress 2023 include the following:

• The Farm Bill - The GCA supports a strong, well-funded conservation title in the Farm Bill in order to provide the technical and financial resources for farmers to improve their soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on or surrounding their operations. We are asking Congress to guard against any siphoning off of funding for non-conservation priorities and to ensure that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds be protected for conservation and climate goals.

• Recovering America's Wildlife Act - RAWA has been recently reintroduced and has received broad bipartisan support in the last session of Congress. It provides $1.3 billion annually to support wildlife conservation strategies and prioritizes innovative recovery efforts for endangered or threatened species. The GCA is particularly interested in ensuring that the funds be used for on-the-ground conservation efforts such as conserving and restoring habitats, fighting invasive plant species and diseases and reintroducing native species. We are asking our legislators to continue to support RAWA and to advocate for its principles of protecting biodiversity to support life and the balance of our ecosystems.

• Save Our Sequoias Act - This past summer another forest fire burned more than 4,800 acres in California near Yosemite National Park. The Sequoias (Redwoods) are among the hardest working natural carbon sequesters in the plant world. We are asking our legislators to encourage the reintroduction of this Act.

• Native Plant Month - The GCA has launched a nationwide initiative to promote native plants by formally establishing a Native Plant Month in all 50 states. Govenor Abbott has already signed off to make April 2023 Native Plant Month.

• Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies & Ecosystems Act - Our oceans, wetlands and coastlines are critical components in our fight to stop climate change. The RISEE Act will be reintroduced to Congress and establishes several dedicated streams of funding for coastal infrastructure and resiliency in order to protect vulnerable communities and businesses most impacted by sea level rise and coastal erosion. Additionally, the Save our Seas 2.0 Amendment Act will enhance U.S. domestic and international programs to address marine debris. We are asking our legislators to support these 2 bills protecting our oceans and coastlines.

• Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act - Is set for reintroduction and makes certain producers fiscally responsible for collecting, managing and recycling or composting the products after consumer use. We are asking legislators to support this legislation as we strive to hold plastic producers accountable for the pollution they create.

• Per - And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - Exposure to PFAS may lead to adverse health outcomes. They are chemical compounds that can be found in many household items. We are encouraging legislative efforts to prevent PFAS from being released into the air, drinking systems and food supply and want to expand cleanup efforts to remediate the impacts of these harmful pollutants. We, along with our other Zone IX delegates, were able to meet briefly with Senator John Cornyn and we spent some time discussing the GCA's priorities with his Environmental aid. We also met with Senator Ted Cruz's interns and hope to schedule a zoom meeting with his aids in the near future.

We made many new GCA and Zone IX friends during our visit and got to hear about their club's conservation activities. The last evening we had a Zone IX, Zone XIII and XI dinner at the lovely Sulgrave Club in Georgetown which was great fun.

We encourage you to look at the GCA's 9 Position Papers on the GCA website and write letters to our Senators and Representatives regarding any of your areas of interest if you feel so inclined.

We were proud to represent the GCH and thank you for this opportunity!