Continuing Club Projects and Activities 2025-2026
Seven Sisters Oak, President - Live Oak Society
Photo courtesy of Coleen Perilloux Landry, Chairman Live Oak Society Arbor Day – A short presentation is given at the January meeting on the history of Arbor Day and the life of a member(s) or spouse(s) that recently passed away. This committee orders and places a plaque and a tree in memory of the deceased and makes the short presentation.
Awards/Grants – This committee actively reviews all available awards/grants from LGC, Deep South and LGCF and prepares submissions as appropriate. Beautification/Cleanest City/Keep Covington Beautiful- CGC works with the City of Covington on any and all of these projects which may include participating in the Louisiana Garden Club Federation’s Cleanest City Contest and maintaining and replacing plantings in the troughs on Boston Street. This committee is the liaison with other organizations and helps with any of those tasks. CGC Scholarship – The CGC awards an annual scholarship to a college student from St. Tammany Parish who is enrolled in accredited university or trade school classes that pertain to the goals of CGC. This committee actively solicits scholarship applicants, reviews applications and makes recommendations to the Board. |
Community Gardens – CGC currently maintains three gardens in the City of Covington- Triangle Park, The Healing Garden and the Blue Star Marker. This committee plants, waters and weeds, as necessary, in partnership with other like-minded civic groups.
The Healing Garden, established in 2000, is located at 100 N. Columbia St, Covington, LA, also known as the Columbia Street Landing, in downtown Covington. It is the site of outdoor concerts, weddings, and many photography shoots, among other things. We were awarded the 2022 Landscape Design project grant to add flowers for a colorful summer. The Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker is located at 19375 LA Hwy 36, Covington, LA, the intersections of Hwy 21 and Hwy 36, in front of the St. Tammany Fire District No. 12 fire station. The Covington Garden Club sponsored and dedicated this marker May 2011. Triangle Park is located at 419 N. New Hampshire St, Covington, Louisiana, also known as the St. Tammany Trace Covington Trailhead in downtown Covington at the corners of New Hampshire and East Lockwood Streets. It is the site of outdoor concerts, art exhibits, and antique shows. The Community Garden Chairperson will perform a search this year for another City-owned Park or garden where CGC can install a garden filled with native plants. When such place is identified, the Chairperson will make a recommendation to the Board. 
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Community Outreach- Twice a year (once in December and once in May) the CGC solicits donations from members, couples those donations with a donation from the Club and submits those donations to a selected charity.
This committee makes charity recommendations to the Board, collects and delivers those donations to the Board-approved charity. Our community outreach this year will again be the Northshore Food Bank (NFB) and the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary. The NFB serves more than 375 individuals and families each week in St. Tammany and Washington Parishes. The food bank serves the needs of the most vulnerable in our community by providing food, clothing, and dental care. We plan a large food drive in the Spring. In addition to our members’ contributions, Covington Garden Club’s monetary donation to the Northshore Food Bank is $100 per year. CGC will be collecting donations for the St. Francis Animal Sanctuary located at 813 Florida St, Mandeville, LA 70448. They are a no-kill center that conducts rescues and community outreach and is supported by private donations. Design Exhibits – At least three times a year, a member demonstrates the creation of a floral design of a type of design recognized by the NGC. This committee coordinates with the Flower Show Committee in order to highlight designs that will be featured in the annual Flower Show.
Garden of the Month – CGC awards one residential and one commercial garden of the month in each of the following months – September, October, November, March and May. In designated months, this committee tours the area, selects the winning gardens, presents the owners the award and communicates all information to the Publicity Committee for publishing on the CGC Facebook page etc. |
Holiday Decorations – CGC provides, installs and removes holiday decorations (Christmas, 4th of July, etc.) for the Gazebo near the Healing Garden and at the Blue Star Marker. This committee documents those efforts and communicates such to the Publicity Committee.
Plant Exchange – Every year, at the May meeting, CGC hosts a plant exchange where members are encouraged to share and receive “pass along” plants. This committee coordinates the necessary setup and staffs the tables for this annual plant exchange. Publicity – This committee is responsible for informing the community of the activities of CGC. It maintains and regularly posts on the Club’s Facebook page, provides information to the mayor’s office for inclusion in the newsletter and is responsible for providing information about the Club’s activities to local newspapers and/or magazines. This committee also posts notable activities to the Deeds & Doings section of the LGCF website. St. Tammany Parish Fair – This committee solicits members to participate in the St. Tammany Parish Fair through the entering of horticulture specimens. Special Events – This committee helps stage and host any special events planned by the CGC Board, including the annual flower show, semi-annual style show/luncheon, rummage sale and an other such events as directed by the CGC Board. This year CGC will host the LGCF District VI Fall Meeting and our annual Standard Flower Show.
Tours – This committee develops ideas and organizes tours and day trips of interest to CGC members. Ways & Means – This committee develops ideas for and organizes fund raising activities including the Belk Charity Day Sale and periodic raffles at meetings. Website – This committee maintains and regularly updates the Club’s website and directs any public inquiries to the appropriate committee. |