Committees
ADVENTURE COMMITTEE: This committee serves the membership by providing a variety of activities and adventures throughout the year as well as during the summer when the monthly club meetings are on hiatus. Offerings in the past have included garden tours, local, and regional travel to interesting places, creative endeavors, afternoon teas, and even glass blowing! Signups for these adventures are available on the website under the Member’s Only tab on SignUpGenius. Attending adventures is a great way to meet new garden friends.
ARBOR DAY & PRESIDENTIAL TREES: This committee coordinates with the City of York to donate a number of native trees to be planted at the annual April event that features an address by the mayor and attracts local media. It also honors each outgoing club president by arranging for a native tree to be planted in a local site, along with a commemorative plaque. The committee maintains all the presidential trees and plaques.
AWARDS & LAURELS: This committee is responsible for writing applications for National Garden Club, Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, and Garden Club of York Awards. Annual recognition of club members with Laurels and local achievement is organized each year.
BIRDS, BEES & BUTTERFLIES: This committee’s goal is to educate our membership regarding the effects of pesticides, habitat destruction, diseases, and parasites causing the disappearance of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Beginning in 2015, NGC has been participating in an Inaugural Network Garden 2015, NGC has been participating in an Inaugural Network Garden Partner of the National Pollinator Garden Network, a nonpartisan voluntary coalition formed to help establish ONE MILLION GARDENS to assist in restoring critical pollinator population recovery in the United States. Our members have been asked to provide food and habitat for pollinators in our home gardens, as well as assist in Save the Monarchs. In addition, in conjunction with the Audubon Society, members may participate in the autumn Seed Sale and the Great Backyard Bird Count in February.
CONSERVATION, ENVIRONMENT & HORTICULTURE: The chairman will report monthly to the general membership on an educational topic to stimulate an interest in ecology.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: Handles all routine correspondence of GCY as well as select correspondence designated by the President via email or USPS. Mails (via USPS) copies of important email communications to members who do not use computers. Orders stationary products. Maintains a current list of club members without email using information supplied by Membership Committee.
FINANCE: This committee advises on GCY fiscal matters (fiscal year: May 1 through April 30) and is responsible for preparing the GCY annual budget (budget year: July 1 through June 30). Members of this committee include the President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Past President, Past Treasurer, and up to two GCY members who provide financial experience and advice.
FLORAL DESIGN: Monthly Floral Design Workshops will be held in October, November, January, February, and March. There will be two sessions: 10 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sessions will be held at the church.
Members will learn various design techniques, design types, and practical hands-on tips. Refunds will be considered only if supplies have not been purchased. This class is helpful whether you are entering a flower show or creating an arrangement for your home. We will explore the principles and elements of design using the NGC Handbook for Flower Shows. Topics will include plant material and container choices, conditioning, color, balance, rhythm, proportion, contrast, scale, and more! This is for experienced and novice designers. The cost for the class will be determined prior to the class. All are welcome – one arrangement per person. All materials will be provided, and you will leave with your very own floral creation!
FLOWERS & FELLOWSHIP: We visit nursing homes with flowers, vases, and ribbons. We help residents make a flower arrangement to take to their rooms.
FLOWER PRESSERS: This is a crafting group which meets monthly. Members learn the art of flower pressing from an experienced, talented Members learn the art of flower pressing from an experienced, talented instructor. Sally is a member of the World-Wide Pressed Flower Guild. This Committee is open to any member who has an interest in this beautiful art form. Sign up on the GCY website. Experienced or novice, everyone is welcome. Flower Pressers will meet the 4th Wednesday of every month at Two Brothers Restaurant, 2935 E. Prospect Rd., York, PA. All supplies are provided.
GARDEN & HORTICULTURAL THERAPY: This Committee works with members of the community with physical or intellectual limitations or difficulties. This is a hands-on committee which provides meaningful garden related activities, flower arranging, and fellowship by working with participants from Jessica & Friends at Jeremy’s Garden.
GARDEN FAIRE: The Garden Faire involves beautifying and filling the John & Paige Smith Building at the York Fairgrounds with a large variety of annuals, perennials, succulents, water plants, vegetables, and herbs to sell to the public at a reasonable price. Proceeds are allocated to the GCY general operating fund. Our Garden Store committee sells various garden necessities. The White Rose Attic provides good deals on items donated by our members. We also sell plants donated by our members.
The event is always the first Friday and Saturday of May, therefore we address “Don’t Forget Mom on Mother’s Day.” This is a wonderful opportunity to meet members, work together, develop friendships, and have fun doing so! Mark your calendars for Friday May 1 and Saturday May 2, 2026, and sign up to be a part of the Garden Faire!
GIVE LOCAL YORK: Give Local York’s Day of Giving is a dynamic, community-driven event dedicated to supporting local nonprofits in York County. This annual fundraiser event is an exciting 24-hour on-line day of giving. The proceeds go into the Garden Club’s general fund and are used for Scholarship, Decoration of Historic Buildings, Flowers and Fellowship at area nursing homes, Jeremy’s Garden for horticultural therapy, area nursing homes, Jeremy’s Garden for horticultural therapy, Plant-It-Pink Garden, Blue Star Memorial By-Way Garden, Herb Garden at the historic Golden Plough Tavern, UPMC Garden of Hope, and Youth Gardening programs at Martin Library & Leg Up Farm.
GRANTS: This committee is responsible for writing GCY applications for grants from the National Garden Club, the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, and any organizations.
HANGING BASKETS & CONTAINERS: Our committee is responsible for 286 Hanging Baskets and 114 Containers that beautify the City of York’s business, Royal Square and WECO Districts. We work together to design the baskets and containers, maintain the baskets, and raise the funds to pay for the baskets and other beautification. Funding for the baskets comes from the interest earned by our Baskets of York Endowment at the York County Community Foundation and from our fundraising campaign. A grant from Downtown, Inc. pays for the planting and maintenance of the containers, which are planted by GCY volunteers. The containers are located along major streets in the city. We also decorate the four corners of Continental Square in March, October, and December.
HISTORIAN: With the help of committee chairs and general membership, the historian collects yearly information involving club activities including meetings, trips, projects, and awards. This information is then put into a scrapbook adding photos, newspaper articles, handouts, etc. Check the Garden Club of York website to read about past years.
HOLIDAY LUNCHEON: The Holiday Luncheon is the largest fund raiser for our Garden Club and requires all hands-on deck! It’s the social event of the year, where so many friendships have blossomed! It has many aspects, including the sale of greens and poinsettias, a silent auction, bake shop, live auction, Christmas Corner, and merchandise available to purchase. Members are encouraged to bring non-members to the highlight of the season! 250 tickets are available for this event on a first come, first served basis. Reserve your tickets early – they sell out on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserve your tickets early – they sell out quickly!
HOSPITALITY: The committee co-chairs are responsible for scheduling members’ monthly hospitality assignments and for managing paper products inventory and incidentals. The chair must also collect and review receipts from each monthly meeting and submit receipts for reimbursements.
Each Monthly Hospitality Team has a host or hostess and responsible for preparing a light lunch for members. Lunch may consist of any of the following: soup, salad, sandwiches, sides, bread, and dessert. The team decides the menu and who will provide each dish. Try to keep things simple! A total is budgeted for each month, and team members are collectively reimbursed up to that amount by submitting expenses to the monthly hospitality host, who in turn submits all expenses to Veronica Wilson, GCY Hospitality Co-Chair, for review and reimbursement by the Treasurer.
The team may decide on a theme to celebrate the season or program theme, and there are no hard rules! Working together is a great way to get to know club members and have fun being part of this great club!!!
MEDIA COMMITTEE: This committee is responsible for informing the public and our members of the GCY activities and projects by maintaining and updating the GCY website and social media accounts and open-source accounts. As directed by the board, submits written material for publication in local newspapers. Also, per board requests, alerts the TV stations, radio stations, billboards, and any other type of public advertising of special events. The committee also maintains a photo library of the various club events.
MEMBERSHIP: This committee manages the current membership roster for the GCY, acts as greeters, and staffs the check-in table at monthly meetings. As new members join the GCY, we provide welcome bags, host a new member get-together, answer provide welcome bags, host a new member get-together, answer questions, and share the amazing opportunities within our club.
NEWSLETTER: The Garden Club in Bloom editor creates and publishes the newsletter in August, November, February, and May. Club members, officers and committee chairs submit articles and information for publication to the editor.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: (made up of the three immediate Past Presidents of the GCY).
PLANT-A-TREE: Promotes and educates the general membership about this ongoing NGC-sponsored project and collects monetary contributions to benefit the Plant-A-Tree Program.
PLANT IT PINK GARDEN & GARDEN OF HOPE: Committee members are responsible for the maintenance and improvement of two community gardens dedicated to people affected by breast cancer: Plant It Pink Garden at John Rudy Park, established in 2018, and Garden of Hope at UPMC, established in 2022. Members work during the growing season to plant, weed, water, and groom on a schedule managed on the GCY website. The gardens share a pool of volunteers.
PROGRAMS: Committee members research and select interesting programs, speakers, and workshops for monthly GCY membership meetings.
PROJECT GRANT COMMITTEE: This committee is appointed by the President of GCY. It reviews yearly Project Grant applications submitted by GCY members and/or local organizations.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: This committee oversees, organizes, and controls codes and keyed access to club-only property kept in our rented, climate-controlled storage facility space, for the purpose of accommodating and assisting storage facility space, for the purpose of accommodating and assisting club event and activity POCs and other committee chairs.
PUBLIC PLANTING: The Public Planting Committee oversees the club’s involvement in planting and maintaining the Blue Star Memorial By-Way Garden, headed by Daphne Leeder, in the WellSpan Plaza at the Revolution Stadium. We also plant and maintain 15 Victorian-era cradle-shaped graves, headed by Susan Liebegott, in cooperation with Historic Prospect Hill Cemetery. We participate in York’s Adopt-A-Block Program, headed by Elaine Yates, to help with trash removal downtown. We plant and maintain the herb gardens behind the Golden Plough Tavern, headed by Paul Godfrey, which is one of the York History Center’s properties.
SCHOLARSHIP: Committee members evaluate scholarship applicants, select recipients, forward winning applications to the GCFP scholarship chair for further consideration for additional scholarships, present winners to the membership at the Annual Spring Luncheon, manage scholarship information that is distributed to high schools in York County, manage the information presented on social media, and encourage donations and raise funds to support additional scholarships that have not been budgeted.
SPRING LUNCHEON: This committee plans, organizes, decorates, and manages all aspects of the Spring Luncheon.
SUNSHINE COMMITTEE: This committee is a group of members coming together to spread kindness to other members in their time of need or just to make them feel special. We will send a little sunshine their way by sending a meal, baking a treat, or sending a bouquet of flowers to brighten their day.
THE GARDEN STORE: Responsible for raising money to support the general operation fund. Maintain and manage our inventory of garden tools and supplies which are sold at events and meetings and on the Online Garden Store.
YORK FAIR HORTICULTURAL HALL COMMITTEE: This committee will work closely with the York State Fair Director and her team to develop and implement new ideas to inspire and educate the community and encourage participation in York County Agriculture.
YOUTH GARDENING: Committee members work with youth to promote gardening in various settings throughout York County through programs and hands-on activities. We maintain a Sensory Garden in the Children’s Courtyard at the Martin Memorial Library and provide activities to engage the children and their families in the garden. Additionally, four times a year we provide 50 take-home “Kids’ Gardening Kits” for the library. We partner with Leg Up Farm to maintain 3 raised-bed gardens at their therapeutic facility and school and provide programs at their summer camp covering various environmental subjects. Programs are presented to Girl Scout groups to support Scouts earning badges. We support York’s annual Go Green event providing a fun learning experience for the children. Members of the committee are required to obtain PA Child Abuse clearances for volunteers at no cost by visiting www.compass.state.pa.us.