Pandemic.  That’s the major P word in the presidents’ points.  But there are others: postpone, people, possibility, positive… that’s just a few that come to mind.  Yes, we are living in unprecedented times calling for unprecedented actions and we in our garden club must do what is necessary in our lives right now.  So, let’s think about some of those words.

Pandemic—Well, we all know that is happening. ‘Nuff said.

People—That’s us.  Let’s keep safe, keep gardening, keep learning and keep in touch.

Possibility—We’re not thinking of what we can’t do; we’re thinking what can be done.

Positive—So on a positive note, here’s some of our thoughts for the upcoming year.

 

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First, this newsletter!  It will become our stand-in for actual (in-person) meetings.  We intend to let you know our plans for the future… such as a monthly newsletter to arrive about the time of our regular meetings. We hope to have timely articles about gardening, tell you our financial standing, answer questions that might come up. And of course, Beth will still give you a hint of the month.  Check it out—her September hint is in this newsletter.

I hope you have been paying attention to your email.  This is the major way we will communicate during our down time.   So, check at least a couple time a week to see if we have information for you.  You should have seen the great membership deal we had; the virtual garden tour, and a daylily clinic already on Facebook and our website.  Plus, there are more just waiting to be posted.  We’re also going to try virtual workshops, where you’ll be able to watch and do it yourself at home.  There will even be kits available, if you would like. You can also find news on our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/illinoisduneslandgardenclub

But to make this successful we need your help.  So, what can you do?

First, we need ideas.  What should we call our newsletter?  This month there is no name. Someone from the club gets to name it— please, send in name suggestions.  You can email them or anything else to info  @duneslandgardenclub.com or call any of the officers.

Second, we need to know what you want to see here in the newsletter and online.  Give us ideas!

Third, we need contributions.  We would like to have at least one article a month from a member on anygarden topic that interests you.  Maybe you’ve seen something you’d like to share or have a passion for something close to your heart—shade gardening is mine; what’s yours?  Native plants, conservation, butterflies, vegetable gardening…there are so many topics.  Now is your chance to share without standing up in front of the group. Sharing photos of your gardening successes – or even mishaps are always a hit! We can even help you if you aren’t comfortable writing it yourself. We can have a “ghost writer” help you out. It doesn’t have to be a long article – just something to share different topics and passions.

Please help us weather this storm so we can spring up to rebloom even stronger whenever our spring comes.

 

 

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Sandi makes the excellent point that the pandemic situation has forced us to find new and innovative ways to communicate with one another and to keep the Garden Club active and alive.  Inevitably, that means a lot of communication that used to take place face to face now takes place via email.

Let me be honest here.  I don’t like email.  I don’t even like computers very much.  I’m not the kind of person who sits in front of my laptop or PC for hours at a time.  I don’t read my news that way, and I don’t tend to check my email more often than once a day.  I’d rather be reading my Kindle or doing a hundred other things.  I don’t really like reading things or watching videos on the tiny screen on my smartphone.

Nevertheless, given the situation that we’re in, I’m going to make a very serious effort to stay informed about the Garden Club by checking my email a little more often and by visiting the Garden Club’s Facebook and web pages too.  I want this Garden Club to survive the pandemic and to emerge from it as healthy, or even healthier, than it was when this all started last February.

 

 

If anyone needs a bit of computer advice or assistance, let us know.  For example, if you don’t know how to access Facebook or our website, we can answer your questions.  Let’s all do this.  Let’s stay in touch with one another.  Let’s find creative ways to use technology to get us through the restrictions we’re all being forced to endure.