Second District FGCNYS

We were founded in 1925 with the aim to conserve our natural resources, beautify our communities, support world gardening projects, support youth organizations, teach floral design, sponsors new garden clubs and educate the public.

We, on Long Island, are part of Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, The Central Atlantic Region, National Garden Clubs, Inc. and are part of one of the largest volunteer gardening organizations in the world.

shadow depth of field photography of hydrangeas flowers

The first garden club on Long Island was organized in Flushing in 1914 by Mrs. John Walton Paris. There were ten clubs by 1922, and two years later Mrs. Paris' dream of a Federation of Long Island Clubs was accomplished at a meeting held at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. A year later, in 1925, the Long Island Federation merged with the State and became known as Second District. Only four years later, in 1929, the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State became a charter member of National Council of State Garden Clubs (now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc.), with some of the same aims and purposes we sponsor today. These are: conservation and the protection of wildflowers, encouraging civic plantings, preserving scenic and historic locations, emphasizing planting of trees and cooperating with plant societies.

Clubs in Second District, which includes the Borough of Queens and Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and now numbers 31 Clubs, have presented Flower Shows since the 1930s. District Shows have received many State and National Awards.

Two District meetings are held each year for members, and workshops on various phases of garden club work are held periodically. Flower Show Schools, sponsored by the State, but planned and operated by a District Chairman, have been held in the Second District since 1951 for garden club members who wish to become Nationally Accredited Judges, and for members and nonmembers who wish to further their knowledge in Gardening Study, Environmental Conservation, and Landscape Design to name a few.

The first Second District newsletter was published in 1939. Since 1955 it has been called The Long Island Gardener. Published four times a year, it provides members with complete coverage of District and Club activities.

Our History

yellow and purple flowers in close up photography

District Chairs

QUEENS COUNTY - BARBARA BUCKLEY

NASSAU NORTH - ANNE GRONAN

NASSAU SOUTH -

SUFFOLK NORTH - WENDY WOLFSON

SUFFOLK SOUTH - JEAN ANN GOTTSCH

Committee Chairs

AUDIT - MARISA KATZURIN

AWARDS - KIM THOMSON

AWARD OF HONOR - GAIL BERTI

BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES & BUGS - JENNY HOLMES

BOOK OF RECOGNITION - SUE BOUDREAU

BUDGET - CHRISTINE O'BRIEN

CIVIC BEAUTIFICATION & DEVELOPMENT AND BLUE STAR MEMORIALS -

SUE BOUDREAU

DISTRICT CLUB RECOGNITION - DENISE D'ONOFRIO-ZIZZO

DISTRICT LUNCHEON CHAIRMAN - ELAINE SHEIN

DISTRICT LUNCHEON ASSISTANT -

DISTRICT WORKSHOPS - ALICE DAWES

ENVIRONMENTAL - SUE AVERY

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES COUNCIL - EILEEN DERICCO

FLOWER SHOW CONSULTANT - EILEEN DERICCO

GARDENING STUDY SCHOOL - VICTORIA BELLIAS

GARDEN THERAPY - MARIE CAPITANO

HISTORIAN - PAT BANY

HORTICULTURE COUNCIL - MARISA KATZURIN

HOSPITALITY - RITA SEPENOSKI

JUDGES COUNCIL - KIM THOMSON

GAIL BERTI

LANDSCAPE DESIGN COUNCIL - LYNN PEZOLD

LONG ISLAND GARDENER EDITOR - KIM THOMSON

LONG ISLAND GARDENER ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIM THOMSON

MEMBERSHIP - ANNE GRONAN

NATIONAL GARDEN WEEK - DIANE TUTTLE

NATURE CONSERVANCY -

NGC & FGCNYS LIFE MEMBERSHIPS/NATIONAL GARDENER - CHRISTINE TIBERG

PARLIAMENTARIAN -

PENNY PINES - JENNY HOLMES

PHOTOGRAPHY - DENISE D'ONOFRIO-ZIZZO

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL - LYNN PEZOLD

PROMOTIONS - GAIL BERTI

PROTOCOL -

PUBLICITY & PRESS BOOK -

SCHEDULE CONSULTANT - KIM THOMSON

SCHOLARSHIP - SANDY HART

SPEAKERS LIST - LAURA MCLAUGHLIN

SUNSHINE - BARBARA (BABS) GUDE

VENDORS - DIANE TUTTLE

WEBSITE - MARION ROMEO

WORLD GARDENING - MARISA KATZURIN

YEARBOOKS - JOY FLYNN

YOUTH CHAIRMAN - TERRY SAJEWSKI


Our Leadership

Officers

DIRECTOR - ELIZABETH WALSH

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - ELAINE SHEIN

RECORDING SECRETARY - DONNA DiSTEFANO

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY - CHRISTINE TIBERG

TREASURER - CHRISTINE O'BRIEN