Zooming In on the New Year
It’s September already, and Laguna Beach Garden Club is ready to start a new year of exciting guest speakers, meetings, and club activities. I am thrilled and humbled to be your president for the next two years. As you know from past newsletters, my focus as president is “Education in the Garden” — supporting and providing gardening education for our members and the community.
In support of that goal in today’s environment, the club will host its first-ever general meeting online via Zoom on September 11 at 10 am. Our two featured speakers that day are delighted to be with us and have prepared a great presentation for you. Kay Havens and Teena Spindler, both Master Gardeners, will speak about the addition of a world-class botanical garden to the Great Park in Irvine.
The month of August has been a busy one for me — full of Zoom meetings and learning to become more proficient at hosting and leading online meetings and webinars. It’s been fun, too! Rest assured, the entire Board has been hard at work to make the online meeting process as smooth and flawless as possible. I feel confident that all of you can participate via Zoom and enjoy the many benefits Laguna Beach Garden Club membership offers.
As Vice President last year, I was able to book most of our guest speakers for 2020-21, and I am excited to say they are a great group. Recently, Lynn Jax and Jorja Puma, our Co-Vice Presidents, contacted each speaker, and all of them have committed to Zoom presentations that will be interesting, informative, and entertaining.
Here is our speaker line-up through December:
- Sept. 11: Kay Havens & Teena Spindler, Master Gardeners — Botanical Garden at the Great Park, Irvine
- Oct. 9: Dr. Matt Ritter, Professor of Botany, Cal Poly SLO, Native Tree and Plant Expert
- Nov. 13: Susie Vanderlip, Citizen Scientist, author — Monarch Butterflies
- Dec. 11: Corey Welles, Environmental Horticulturist, Lotusland, Montecito — Organic Gardening
Before the September meeting, we will email the Zoom link, meeting ID, and password to all members who paid for membership as of May 2020.
If you haven’t renewed your membership yet (or would like to join the club), Membership Renewal Form (and New Member Form) are on pages 9 and 10 of the Newsletter. To renew go to www.LagunaBeachGardenClub.org, under “Membership” to print out the form to mail in or complete it online. The October meeting Zoom link, meeting ID, and password will go to all members who paid for 2020-21 membership as of Sept. 14.
Remember, you must have the Zoom application downloaded on your tablet or computer to view the webinar, and you can get it at www.Zoom.com. If you would like to take part in a Zoom practice session prior to the meeting — or have any questions — please contact me at Mariann@LagunaBeachGardenClub.org.
It’s going to be a different year for our club — but also a great one. There is no way of knowing when we will be able to meet again in person; as soon as we can, we will. Until then, I’ll see you all on Zoom! All the best to you and your families.
Please take care, stay safe, and be well.
Mariann Keenan