Garden Club of Cape Coral
Officers
Meet Our President
Garden Club of Cape Coral President (2023-2025)
Donna Schmidt
Welcome to the Garden Club of Cape Coral!!
I am honored and delighted to be your new President promoting conservation, beautification and education in our community. The club was established in 1997 and was founded by Marty Ward and her long-time gardening friend, Beverly Ray. Sherie Bleiler, our very first President, is still an active member and a great resource for our members and others in the community. We are affiliated with the National Council of State Garden Clubs, the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs – District IX, and the Fort Myers Lee County Garden Council.
At our installation ceremony in May, Susan Lawson presented the new board members with a kaleidoscope, a symbol of change and growth. As one peers through the kaleidoscope and watches the colors and shattered patterns change into beautiful designs, we can also envision the amazing changes that are taking place in our community after the devastation Hurricane Ian left behind. Our lives were shattered into so many pieces, but we have all worked together to bring back life to our beautiful city and to support others. The symmetry of the change in the patterns of the kaleidoscope also represents harmony and balance - much like a colorful new garden that is forever changing and giving us delight in the wonders of nature.
The Garden Club continues to grow and thrive through the support of our many volunteers. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month September through May. The monthly meetings are educational, offering information and ideas on many garden-related topics. The club has an amazing team of officers and committee chairs, and we are always welcoming members to join in the fun and activities. It is a great place to learn new things and make new friends. We have over 30 committees to choose from. For instance, some of our members volunteer to maintain one of the three civic gardens in the city and others work with seniors at a center to make flower arrangements in teacups and coffee mugs. Through our annual March in the Park event, we support our local schools by raising money to provide merit awards to high school seniors. Other annual donations include several local school garden projects, FFGC’s Camp Wekiva, SEEK, and Cape Coral Rotary Park Butterfly Garden in memory of passed-on members. We participate in flower shows, learn to design floral arrangements, and go on monthly trips. Let us meet the challenges together with inspiration and energy, so that everyone can continue to enjoy our traditions. The possibilities are endless…
I would like to thank outgoing Co-Presidents Ann Block and Elsa Schutzman for their guidance and leadership over the past two years. And a huge thank you to all our garden club members for all you do for our community. I look forward to seeing you at the monthly meetings and our other events.
Donna Schmidt
I am honored and delighted to be your new President promoting conservation, beautification and education in our community. The club was established in 1997 and was founded by Marty Ward and her long-time gardening friend, Beverly Ray. Sherie Bleiler, our very first President, is still an active member and a great resource for our members and others in the community. We are affiliated with the National Council of State Garden Clubs, the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs – District IX, and the Fort Myers Lee County Garden Council.
At our installation ceremony in May, Susan Lawson presented the new board members with a kaleidoscope, a symbol of change and growth. As one peers through the kaleidoscope and watches the colors and shattered patterns change into beautiful designs, we can also envision the amazing changes that are taking place in our community after the devastation Hurricane Ian left behind. Our lives were shattered into so many pieces, but we have all worked together to bring back life to our beautiful city and to support others. The symmetry of the change in the patterns of the kaleidoscope also represents harmony and balance - much like a colorful new garden that is forever changing and giving us delight in the wonders of nature.
The Garden Club continues to grow and thrive through the support of our many volunteers. We meet on the second Wednesday of the month September through May. The monthly meetings are educational, offering information and ideas on many garden-related topics. The club has an amazing team of officers and committee chairs, and we are always welcoming members to join in the fun and activities. It is a great place to learn new things and make new friends. We have over 30 committees to choose from. For instance, some of our members volunteer to maintain one of the three civic gardens in the city and others work with seniors at a center to make flower arrangements in teacups and coffee mugs. Through our annual March in the Park event, we support our local schools by raising money to provide merit awards to high school seniors. Other annual donations include several local school garden projects, FFGC’s Camp Wekiva, SEEK, and Cape Coral Rotary Park Butterfly Garden in memory of passed-on members. We participate in flower shows, learn to design floral arrangements, and go on monthly trips. Let us meet the challenges together with inspiration and energy, so that everyone can continue to enjoy our traditions. The possibilities are endless…
I would like to thank outgoing Co-Presidents Ann Block and Elsa Schutzman for their guidance and leadership over the past two years. And a huge thank you to all our garden club members for all you do for our community. I look forward to seeing you at the monthly meetings and our other events.
Donna Schmidt