Junior Garden Club kicks off in Forest Hills: Little hands help create harbingers of Spring


Contributed by Caroline Carrington

Daffodils are in bloom next to the University Drive sign thanks to the
fall planting by Camille Carrington, daughter of Caroline Carrington (FH).

Recently the Forest Hills Garden Club has been growing, and now we want to bloom!  Our membership has grown, and we have established our garden club as a significant member of the Durham Council of Garden Clubs.  Now we want to expand again, and help our little ones in the neighborhood bloom and grow, by sharing the joy of gardening with our kids.   The opportunity to establish a Forest Hills youth garden club enables us to help the Forest Hills Garden Club meet it’s goals and objectives for a thriving neighborhood garden club.  In its earlier days (circa 1950’s), the Forest Hills Garden Club did have a youth club, which helped to support the mission of the adult women’s club.   With so many kids accompanying their moms and dads in park clean-ups, volunteer time at the Briggs Community Garden, or planting bulbs in the park, it is a natural progression of our club mission, to extend our club to include a youth component.

Therefore, welcome the Forest Hills Junior Garden Club!  Our youngest members not only can help fulfill the goals and missions of the Forest Hills garden club, but may at times host fundraisers (think lemonade sales at the park, etc.).  At most, this affords us the priceless opportunity to share the beauty, serenity and joy of gardening in a teachable way, that can continue to the next generation.

The Forest Hills Junior Garden Club will be open to children of current members, ages 4-12.  Children should be able to participate in activities and follow basic instructions.  Parents will accompany their children during the club activities or events.  For more information, contact Mindy Solie 919-419-0550, or Caroline Carrington at 919-403-7468.

Forest Hills Junior Garden Club Proposal

Junior Garden Club Admin & Meeting Structure:

1. At least 2 FH Garden Club members should be "sponsors" of the Jr. Garden Club, to organize and lead activities, and provide status report updates at FH Club meetings.
2. Parents should be supportive of activities and attend scheduled events with their child (no child should be unsupervised).
3. Event/Meetings:  November, February, April
4. Event/Meeting should feature an activity that supports mission or goals of FH Garden Club (i.e. Briggs Community Garden work (weeding, watering, whatever is age appropriate) or planting bulbs in public areas around Forest Hill Park).
5. Event/Meeting should also include a "teachable moment" to share the beauty, serenity and joy of gardening.  We may even want to teach the Garden Club Collect to Jr. members or incorporate some of the historical aspects of the garden club to help instill the longevity and legacy of the FH Garden Club.

Membership:

• Open to children (boys and girls) whose parents are current members of Forest Hills Garden Club
• Ages: 4-12 (TBD)?  Children should at least be of the age to participate in activities and follow basic instructions
• Membership Fee:  $5 for basic supplies of gloves, or small spade? (Dues may be required for Durham Council of Garden Club for Youth Garden Clubs

Activities:

• At least 3 Proposed Events: 

November - Plant bulbs in the FH Park    (instruct how to plant and water bulbs)

February - Decorating birdfeeders or potting pansies in small pots (possibly painting pots as well)

April - Briggs Garden volunteer work   (instruct on different tasks, plant, water, mulch or weed)

 If the dates work well: consider adding additional events in other months or include an off-site SEEDS activity.

 

Fundraisers:

1. Lemonade stand near the FH Clubhouse in late spring/early summer to raise money for SEEDS.
2. Group craft activity in the Fall (making a birdhouse, painted pot, etc.) to donate for the December Holiday Forest Hills Garden Club (Fundraising) Auction, or for VA Hospital.