Leadership & Committees
Executive Committee
Standing Committees
Awards & Scholarships
Responsible for reviewing the awards offered by our affiliated organizations, this committee conveys this information to the club and encourages members to undertake activities meeting awards criteria. The Chairs are tasked with compiling all required supporting materials and submitting applications.
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The Awards and Scholarships committee also publicizes and accepts applications submitted to the GCW for environmental camperships for middle school students and scholarships for high school graduates in horticulture, botany, environment, or a related field of study. They work with local school officials for recommendations, evaluate all applications, and award scholarships upon graduation.
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Finally, the Awards and Scholarships Committee researches and distributes information on classes and courses pertaining to gardening, horticulture, botany, the environment, and related areas of interest to GCW members. They propose and award member grants or scholarships so we may participate in such classes and courses. The members receiving such grants or scholarships may then present about the information learned at a monthly meeting.
Co-Chairs: Emily Adler & Jan O’Connell
Communications
This committee is responsible for disseminating information to GCW members and the public via newsletters, the website, press releases, and emails. They are responsible for maintaining the website and social media accounts.
The Publicity subcommittee prepares and provides press releases, calendar information, and notices to local media preceding and following meetings and special events. They take photos of events, activities, and club projects for documentation on this website and social media platforms.
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Finally, the Historian subcommittee maintains and preserves all minutes of GCW meetings, preserves awards and legal documents pertinent to the club, and archives photos of events, activities, and club projects on social media platforms and the website. They also research and share the history of GCW.
Co-Chairs: Justin Laurion & Zhiyuan Ma
Community Gardens & Projects
This committee employs club knowledge and skills to aid the community at large. They work on projects to beautify the community and surrounding areas, including but not limited to various community gardens and holiday baskets.
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Teams are responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, and care of their corresponding garden or project:
i. Coastal Cancer Treatment Center - Serenity Garden
ii. Nickels-Sortwell House Gardens
iii. Pownalborough Courthouse Garden
iv. Town of Wiscasset Sunken Garden
v. Wiscasset Public Library Gardens
vi. Wiscasset Public Library Flower Arrangements
vii. Wiscasset Triangles
Chair: Tina Sedney
Membership
This committee is responsible for accepting applications from all individuals, receiving dues, forwarding the names and application information of new members monthly to the Board of Directors, and distributing Club Yearbooks to all Club members. They maintain the directory of members and submit the number of members to the Board of Directors monthly. Additionally, they maintain the member name tags and bring them to the monthly meetings.
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The Yearbook subcommittee receives information to be included in GCW’s Annual Yearbook by April 15th. They oversee the production and distribution of the yearbook, and ensure that the yearbook’s format complies with GCFM rules.
Chair: Brenda Lacombe
Programs & Education
This committee is responsible for researching and distributing information on classes and courses pertaining to gardening, horticulture, botany, the environment, and related areas of interest to members. They arrange the meeting places and monthly guest speakers for the following year and ensure that club programs are designed to conform to the qualifications for the Yearbook Awards.
They also administer the GCW Mentoring Program, which allows members to share gardening knowledge with other members and the community through a mentor/mentee relationship. The Floral Design Practice subcommittee guides the club in workshops and helps educate members about flower show procedures.
The Horticulture and Environment subcommittee promotes education and appreciation of all phases of horticulture, stimulates a greater interest in gardening for all members, and informs club members about birds, rare and endangered species of plants and animals, and legislation that affects the environment. They also work with other community organizations as appropriate to share knowledge and information with the community at large.
Chair: Beth Maxwell & Terry Heller
Ways and Means & Finance
This committee is responsible for consulting with the Board of Directors regarding their goals, needs, and commitments in order to develop an annual budget. The budget includes the funds necessary to meet the needs of the community projects, various scholarships, awards, and grants, hosting the monthly meetings and the Annual Meeting, as well as any special events or activities.
This committee determines investment goals and policies for the management of the Garden Club of Wiscasset Fund, conducts quarterly reviews of investment returns relative to those goals and policies, and conducts annual audits of the Treasurer’s records. They report to the Club and the Board of Directors quarterly regarding investment performance and annually regarding audit findings.
Finally, this committee is in charge of all fundraising projects for the club.
Co-Chairs: Alissa Eason & Lisa Freeman
Youth Programs
The Youth Programs Committee is responsible for all club activities involving young people, Preschool through grade 12.
This committee works with students on planting and harvesting in the Wiscasset Elementary School garden. Seeking to expand the scope of GCW youth projects, the committee is tasked with collaborating with educators at other local schools, including the Wiscasset Middle High School. New activities under consideration include student volunteer hours, educational opportunities, and even the potential construction of a greenhouse or campus garden.
Finally, Youth Programs is partnering with Wiscasset Partners in Education to endow the elementary students’ annual trip to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and other relevant activities for students.
Chair: Annaliese Inchaurregui