Training for New Club Officers

The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. (GCG) hosts biennial Leadership and Awards Workshops in June and July to train newly elected club officers for the upcoming term.

2025–2027 Leadership and Awards Workshops

Led by GCG President Diane Hunter, the 2025–2027 workshops were a team effort involving First Vice President Bess Hartley, Second Vice President Gale Thomas, Third Vice President Linda Doiron, Fourth Vice President Quill Duncan, Assistant Treasurer Frank Mullins, and Awards Chairperson Diana Malone. Over 280 members attended. Are you a newly elected President of Club Officer? Check out the videos below. And, don’t forget, we’ll be holding sessions throughout the year titled Growing Leaders.

Workshops were held across the state of Georgia in five sessions:

• Cordele:              Magnolia and Camellia Districts
• Baxley:                Oleander District
• Athens:                Azalea District
• Johns Creek:       Dogwood and Redbud Districts
• Marietta:              Laurel District

Each workshop began with a welcome from the District Director(s) and an introduction of the GCG President and the presenting team.

All workshop materials and videos of each presentation are available below. The videos are split into seven sessions, each covering a topic presented at the workshop.

Workshop Highlights

Presidential Comments and Introduction (Part 1)

Diane Hunter shared her initiatives and updates from the National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) and Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. (DSGC), along with her 2025–2027 theme:

“Tending the Heart of Georgia: Building Community Through Beautification, Conservation, and Education.”

Part 1: President, Diane Hunter, Introduction and Initiatives

https://youtu.be/BFFzWRRN5Ew?si=WswOKlnYC0ZRQYCD

Membership (Part 2)

Quill Duncan offered attendees practical tips for growth and retention, including her tagline, “Bring a Friend, Make a Friend.”

Club Leadership (Part 3)

Bess Hartley spoke about the value of an organized president, providing tools and parliamentary procedure tips for successful meetings.

Education (Part 4)

Gale D. Thomas highlighted GCG’s commitment to improving conventions, enhancing member education, and announcing upcoming Gardening and Landscape School courses while also pointing attendees to additional resources including NGC’s  and GCG’s YouTube content.

Money and Grants (Part 5 (Money and Grants) and Part 5a (Grants Only))

Frank Mullins gave guidance to treasurers, explained financial reporting responsibilities, and reviewed available grants from NGC, GCG and others.

Communication Channels and Team Members (Part 6)

Linda Doiron spotlighted the ways that we communicate through our website, email, and social media, and introduced members of the communications team.

Awards Presentation (Part 7)

Diana Malone reviewed the awards process, including website instructions, and led an interactive workshop where attendees participated in completing a sample award submission. She followed with a detailed explanation of what makes a winning entry, featuring a model submission written by National Garden Clubs, Inc. award judge-and our very own Betty Benner.