Adopt-A-Highway Committee

The Adopt-A-Highway Committee picks up litter for the Michigan Department of Transportation three times a year—spring, mid-summer, and fall—along our designated two-mile stretch of U.S. 31 north of Charlevoix.

Book Review and Community Education Committee

The Book Review and Community Education Committee reviews new books and makes appropriate purchases. These books are shown to the Garden Club members and then presented to the Public Library.

Conservation Committee

The Conservation Committee seeks to raise awareness among members of the Club about quality of life issues. To this end, it submits items to the Club's monthly Newsletter related to ecological trends and current environmental issues and donates books to the local library. It promotes tree planting activity and support for the local shade tree commission and Keep Charlevoix Beautiful. It recommends financial support to regional and state organizations dedicated to preventing visual pollution and implementing beautification programs, including Scenic Michigan and Keep Michigan Beautiful. At least one program each year focuses on a conservation-related issue, such as protecting water quality.

Dowtown Beautification
The Charlevoix Area Garden Club encourages the beautification of Charlevoix by sponsoring a program rewarding merchants who have the most attractive outdoor natural plant display.  The plants can be either in a window box  or container located outside their business or an outdoor garden.  The garden club judges the displays  around their annual garden walk.  They award certificates for first, second and third places in both categories;   Window Box and Planters Category, or Garden Category. To participate, please call 547-4887.

Flower Arranging Design

On the third Tuesday of each month, members develop their skill in flower arranging techniques and, ultimately, create and donate arrangements for other non-profit community events.  The 2011 design class theme is "Food, Flowers, and Fun."  This year, the designs to be studied are: Creative Line Mass, Stretch, Pot-et-Fleur, Alfresco Table, Parallel, and Collage.  The picture to the right is a creative design using citrus fruit in a "carnival" theme.  Some of these designs will be featured in the 2012 Standard Flower Show. 

Standard Flower Show

The Standard Flower Show (see image to the right) is a biennial event held in even numbered years in conjunction with the annual Garden Walk (the Garden Walk is held every year). Exhibits at the Standard Flower Show include over 400 horticulture specimens, 36 flower designs, and over 20 educational and other special exhibits. The Club is pleased to offer the show, free of charge, to the community. The next Standard Flower Show will be held in 2012. The design shows the Design Excellence award given at the 2010 Standard Flower Show. It is a Creative-Line Mass Design, Swan Lake Ballet.

Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee works to award funding for programs that enhance science learning and gardening expertise for students and adults in Charlevoix and Charlevoix County.  Scholarships have previously been given to the Higgins Lake Environmentsl Scool to sponsor local teacers, to Raven Hill Discovery Center to sponsor students and to See North for special science programs.  The committee is currently working closely with the Charlevoix County MSU Extension Office to offer and support programs within the County for students and adults, including Jr. Master Gardener's classes and Senior Project FRESH.  Scholarship funds are also being used to support Garden Club members attending Michigan Garden Club Schools.

Youth Education

The Youth Education Committee works to help young people learn about plants, gardens, and ecology. These themes have been incorporated in the poster contests that the committee organizes each year for elementary school children of the Charlevoix community. The contests are held in the fall when entries are submitted and judged and this is followed up in the spring with a “tea” with cookies and punch to honor the winners of each division along with their families and teachers.