January 19, 2022
Charlotte Albers, Paintbox Garden Design LLC is our speaker today.
Carrie Fenn called the meeting to order at 7:30.
Linda Gilbert shared opening words.
Ric led us in the four way test.
Ric reported the fundraising number updates: $6,475 letter campaign and $5,175 car raffle.
Carrie indicated there are no contestants for the February speech contest. It was proposed that perhaps our club could create a topic question that would be more suitable to the contestants and it could be submitted to the speech committee.
Susan will present the Hannaford gift cars to the Refugee Resettlement Center upon her return.
Carrie discussed our club’s 50th anniversary is this year. A committee can be created to determine an action plan. We may do this event in conjunction with the Golf Ball drop and/or the Changing of the Guard.
A Benefactor Recognition pin and plaque will be presented to one of our members when the member is in attendance. This recognition is for members who leave money to Rotary in their last will and testament.
Chris reported that the winter coat drive wraps up in two weeks.
Chris collected the happy fines.
Laurie Burke introduced Charlotte Albers, owner of Paintbox Garden Design LLC. Charlotte moved to Vermont in 2006 from the Virginia area. She studied botany and plant taxonomy at the U.S. National Arboretum. She works as a consultant, writer, designer and public speaker.
Charlotte focuses on color, native plants and biodiversity while designing and installing for her projects. Native plants are very important and Vermont has a lot of choices! We should all be good stewards of our land and understand and identify trees and plants and shrubs. This helps build biodiversity with adaptable plants and provides opportunity for wildlife.
Charlotte provided several resource websites for our usage:
She listed some local projects that she has or does work on; Pierson Library, Town Pond,Shelburne, Charlotte Senior Center that she has been involved in, along with CSH Rotary. She manages the volunteer aspect of these projects. Shelburne Park across from the Country Store and the Town Pond are two projects they have completely revamped to native biodiverse plants. She did the master plan for the newly designed Shelburne Town Center as well. When she starts a project, she looks at the site first, soil,light, drainage, topography,etc. When planning our own gardens, in addition to knowing what you have and it’s profile, think about seasonality, not having to “tidy up” every spring and fall.
Jim presented Charlotte with the book, “A Way to Garden”by Margaret Roach which will be donated to The Charlotte Library.
Carrie adjourned the meeting at 8:35.