Marilyn Krueger - State President

2021-2023

Theme: “Plant America...Starting at Home”

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It’s me, again.  I was elected to serve two more years as President of The Garden Clubs of Illinois, Inc. I am thankful for the fellowship, determination and can-do attitude of our members that made it possible for me to accept a second term. I am proud of the creative ways that our members and clubs have kept the spirit of our garden clubs alive and vital to our communities and to each other.  We have learned how to keep in touch virtually or at a distance.  We have had parties, meetings, elections, programs, civic projects, plant sales and fun, all in spite of the pandemic! 

 

The Garden Clubs of Illinois, Inc. purchased a subscription of 'GoToMeeting' for our own use at our Finance and Board of Directors meetings as well as providing it to clubs.  Since we now expect to have hybrid meetings, it is possible for members to accept positions on the Board of Directors that previously would have been turned down due to lengthy, time-consuming travel.  We have better representation from clubs throughout Illinois.

 

Our Annual Meeting and Convention was held virtually in April and Jodi Meyer installed our new officers.  Again, many members attended the Sunday afternoon event who usually didn’t because they could not or would not travel to the northern part of the state. We held a very successful, educational and virtual Landscape Design School that was well attended by people from garden clubs far and wide. The fall Landscape Design School will be hybrid.  We look forward to meeting in person, but expect many to attend virtually. Our Summer Meeting was cancelled, but we are planning a virtual event with a very brief business meeting and program.

 

We are proud that our own Carol Yee will serve as Central Region Director with Laurel DeBoer by her side as Alternate Director. Several others from Illinois are also on the Central Region Board. We will have new state awards that will reflect the theme, “Plant America - Sow the Seeds and Keep Growing” and Unified Project of Central Region, encouraging our members to grow and donate produce to local food pantries.  Other awards will support our NGC President’s theme - “Plant America…Play Outdoors.”  Some of our awards will be modified to encourage our members to “Plant America… Starting at Home.”  We have all been doing more gardening at home, so there will be some state awards to reward those homegrown projects.

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Marilyn Krueger

Illinois State President

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Upcoming Events:
 

July 26th - Monday - Summer “Meeting”- 10 A.M. virtual

October 26th -27th - Tuesday and Wednesday - Landscape Design School - Course 4 - Series 18

Glen Ellyn or virtual

Environmental School - TBD

Please check our website. gardenclubsofillinois.org for information, registration and updates.