The Long Hill Garden Club received recognition at the recently held awards luncheon of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. Two of the awards, one at the New England Regional
level and the second at the state level, were for the club’s Youth Programs.
Under the umbrella of Growing a Generation of Gardeners, club members worked with children from pre-school to high school. This past year 677 children were actively involved in the programs which included 15 weeks of gardening and nature classes for pre-schoolers, planting a tree on their school grounds for first graders, attending a Frightened Frog program for third graders, and Middlebrook School Courtyard Club working to restore one of the courtyards.
Also, high school students worked to weed and mulch gardens at Stern Village and 12 Girl Scouts earned a badge.
A third award was for the Garden Therapy project. Members worked with residents of Stern Village on various horticulture and floral-related activities which aid the recovery and rehabilitation of challenged individuals. Innovative monthly projects included a program about herbs for the senses, (touch, smell, and recipes for tasting pleasure). A second garden therapy group is now working with young adults from the Elite (Educating Learners in Transitional Environments) program who are planting flowers throughout town.
A Certificate of Individual Achievement was awarded to Barbara Pezzullo for her outstanding work in the Garden Therapy program.
Cathy Ritch received a Presidential Citation for her Beyond Beginning workshops. She conceived, created and perpetuated successful and continuously sold out floral design workshops which have increased the skills of a significant number of Connecticut designers in a welcoming and inspiring atmosphere.