Site Designed by Vina

Club Contests

EXCEPTIONAL HORTICULTURAL AWARD

Most of the requests for the Exceptional Horticultural Award come from clubs to which you belong. For those of you who are not familiar with this award, as Horticulture Coordinator I am responsible for the selection of candidates. The candidate MUST be a Garden Club member of one of the federated clubs in the GCFP. The criteria for this award are as follows:

EXPERIENCE – Growing numerous plant materials – trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, biennials, house plants and being able to converse with others intelligently about “how to grow”. Hopefully the candidate has attended one or more of the schools provided by the National Garden Clubs, Inc. but this is not a requirement.

EDUCATION – the candidate should be well read: books magazines, flower and garden catalogs, the Internet, National Garden Club programs and schools.

SHARING – Knowledge, experience and plant materials with friends and garden club members as well as civic organizations. The candidate should have served their club, community and country when called upon to do so. They should be able to represent the GCFP as an intelligent, dignified and knowledgeable source.

Remember, for the most part we are amateurs. However, an exceptional horticulturist must be almost a professional in the above three areas.

Applications for the award must be written up and sent to me by August 1st of each year. This is a necessary request as the certificates must be prepared and then sent to the District Directors and Awards Chairman for signing and presentation at the District annual meeting.

Please send these to:

Mrs. Frank C. Dickson, II

160 Winters Road

Butler, PA 16002-0658

Phone 724-287-2053

2012 TRASH TO TREASURE CONTEST

TRASH TO TREASURE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FUN AND TO EXPRESS CREATIVITY WITH ALMOST NO LIMITS.

This annual contest held at the GCFP convention is an opportunity to recycle and reuse in new ways. It is a challenge to the creativity of all garden club members and a fun project for all.

TRASH TO TREASURE THEME FOR 2012 IS: "The Art of Recycling".

Take items you would normally TRASH (pop cans, bottle caps,

plastic bags, newspaper)and create a WORK OF ART(jewelry,

sculpture,wearables, picture, mosaic, ornament) for the contest.

The rules are:

1. Each entry shall be displayed on a table space not to exceed 18” wide by 18” deep.

2. Each entry must weigh less than 10 pounds.

3. Each entry must use materials that are being reused, recycled, or can be recycled.

4. Each entry may be the work of more than one person.

5. Each District may select one entry to represent it. The method of selection is left to each District.

6. Each entry must include: the title of your treasure and list of materials used on the front of a 3x5 card. On the back of the card list district, name of garden club, your name(s) and address.

At the 2012 Convention, all of the Trash to Treasure entries shall be displayed on tables covered with white cloth. The size and composition of each entry must comply with the rules; the rest is left up to the imagination of the designer(s).

There is no requirement that the Trash to Treasure entry from a club be the work of one person. In an effort to encourage greater participation in the contest, more than one person may complete entries. Clubs may schedule group workshops or informal get-togethers during which a small group may design and execute a Trash to Treasure entry, or even have a hands on program at a meeting, where several designs could be made, and one selected to represent the club.

Trash to Treasure is not a Flower Show. There is no emphasis on horticulture. There is no fresh plant material. There is only one “design class” with a possible entry from each District. The elements and principles of design, as explained in the Handbook for Flower Shows, can provide guidance for the creation of the Trash to Treasure entries, but are not the standards by which the judges (who may or may not be Flower Show Judges) judge the entries.

SCALE OF POINTS FOR JUDGING:

Conformance:20 points
- (Fits in stated space, weighs lessthan ten pounds)
Artistic concept 50 points
- (Creative reuse/recycling:)
Expression: 20 points
- (Interpretation of theme)
Execution: 10 points
- (Workmanship)
Total: 100 points

All entries must be in place by Monday, April 23, 2012 by 9:00 am.

All entries must be claimed by Noon on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 . (Any entry left after that time becomes litter.)

No one at convention or at any meeting is responsible for any lost items.

Any questions contact:

Litter/Recycling Chairman

Diane Buchart

717-852-0922