Notes of thanks

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 11, 2001

Editor:

Thank you, for the opportunity to express our appreciation for the good coverage of our recent "A Peek At Floral City's Past" a Standard Home Flower Show with Garden Fair, Afternoon Tea and Music.

It was a tremendous success in part because of the articles in the Citrus Times. Also we are indebted to the mood-setting, acoustic music of Pete Hennings and Pete Price. They were outstanding and added so much to our event; thank you Pete and Pete.

A special thank you is extended to all the creative individuals who came out and set up sales tents and tables with items related to the garden or nature. They helped to make our event a festive occasion. The lovely Victorian luncheon for the flower show judges prepared and served by Carlotta Yancey and her granddaughter, Cindy, at the Yancey home in the Historic Commercial Hotel was a treat for the judges and we sincerely appreciate her willingness to work with us for this aspect of the show.

A flower show is called a tournament, but it is also an educational process, therefore, we are grateful to the six National Council of State Garden Club Flower Show judges who judged the horticulture and designs and then provided comments on all the designs not receiving a blue ribbon. Thank you master judges: Gloria Horning and Liz Shaw and accredited judges: Lee Kneer, Andrea Fuller, Dottie Bishop and Carol Winslow. The test for how difficult their task of judging was is the fact that both the horticulture and the design divisions were tied for top awards.

We are indeed thankful to all 414 individuals who purchased tickets to this event and to all those who came to historic Floral City on the two beautiful days to share the show with us.

On a personal note, allow me to comment on our own members of the Floral City Garden Club. I have chaired or worked on a number of flower shows in the past 18 years, but never have I had the privilege of working with a group of individuals who worked so well together and were so accommodating to each other. We truly do have an outstanding membership.

We could not have presented this superb show without the generosity and cooperation of the historic home owners, Dave and Pamela Bellmam, who welcomed us into their home for the event. Nor could we have planned and executed the show without the coordination of the co-chairmen of the show: Cathi Ayers and Patsy Neel and the chairmen of Horticulture and Design: Lynn Bassett and Dorothy Sherman who labored long hours so that horticulture exhibits were entered correctly and all design classes were filled. Other committee chairmen completed their tasks in a superior manner: awards chairman Jeanne Henson; judges co-chairwoman Frances Simpson; clerks chairwoman Pattie Barber; hostess co-chairwomen, Cathy Foley and Cheri Boggs, grounds chairman John Korycki and garden fair chairwoman, Joan Knippen.

We must say a special word about the results of the Afternoon Tea chairwoman Marie Jones, She personally baked all those delicious cakes everyone was raving about and had the foresight to print up recipe books for those who were sure to want one. To all these chairmen and women I thank you. Only four of you had participated in a Flower Show before, but you all were quick, eager and congenial learners and it was my privilege to work with you. Likewise, to all the other members who pitched in to help behind the scenes, to all the committee members, to all the hostesses, to all the exhibitors and last but never least to all the Floral City Garden Club's "Gardening Angels" (spouses), we could not have presented it without you. Thank you. Thank you.

Marcia L. Beasley, Chairman Publicity for Flower Show

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