Underdog club beat bigger rivals to win
The Garden Club of Ellijay (GCE) won beat 276 other garden clubs to win the “Garden Club of Georgia Trophy.”
“We’re very proud,” Co-President Joanne Waddey said. “Particularly for a relatively small club.”
The trophy, awarded by the Garden Club of Georgia GCG, goes to the best garden club in the state.
Club members learned they had won the award at the GCG convention in Peachtree City from Wednesday, April 1 to Friday, April 3.
“My reaction was relief,” she said. “I had spent a lot of time on the award application and I didn’t want to let the club down.”
It’s not the first time GCE has won the award, but it has been 16 years.
“It’s a very big deal,” Waddey said.
In addition, GCE won three first-place awards in other categories and two second-place awards.
Like its official flower, the mountain laurel, the club thrives in its north Georgia environment.
With just 47 members, it beat rivals with more than 100 members.
“There’s still a lot for us to take on with all the different projects that we do,” she said.
To get the award, the club pursued a number of gardening and charitable activities in Gilmer Couty.
Some of the club’s activities in the last year included a yearly flower show, a junior garden club, GCG sponsored events, beautifying pots in Ellijay, Arbor Day celebrations and more.
The club also provides two $1,000 scholarships to Gilmer graduating seniors each year.
“We’re a very hardworking club,” Waddey said. “We feel it’s very important to give back to the community.
This year, the club will have its annual plant sale Saturday, May 16. This sale raises money for the scholarships and events.
Anyone can join the club by showing up for three meetings and “not being intimidated by how much work we do,” she said.
“We are an overachieving organization,” Waddey said. “So much so that our members just take it for granted that we win these awards and do these projects.”