The Ama-Kanasta Garden Club of Douglas County is celebrating its 50th anniversary, having been formed in 1967. The Club had 23 Charter members, including Elizabeth O’Neal Bailey, Laurie Baggett, Sue Boggs, Elaine Connally, Norma Dorris, Sarah Edwards, Carol Ellis, Cookie Glover, Gail Haddle, Mary Lynn Hopper, Betty House, Martha Lewis, Shirley Maurer, Denis McKown, Betty Noland, Betty Overman, Carol Rowe, Gayle Sheffield, Ronnie Southers, Pat Stover, Judy Thompson, Margaret Tidwell and Ruth Warren.
The Ama-Kanasta Garden Club continues to have an active membership that participates in and organizes the Standard Flower Show of the annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival; has donated a Garden Reference Section to the Dog River Library; is active in the ongoing development of the Douglas County Butterfly Trail; and has donated $500 to the establishment of the Hunter Park Military Honor Garden and $900 to Operation Christmas. The Club was recognized in 2011 and 2014 with The Garden Club of Georgia Trophy for achievements that do most to promote the objectives and support the projects of the GCG. The Deep South Region of the National Garden Club honored Ama-Kanasta with its Best Garden Club award in 2011; the Deep South Region covers seven states.
The Ama-Kanasta Garden Club is proud to have represented Douglas County in the Garden Club of Georgia for 50 years, and was recently recognized for two programs.
The University of Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture presented a “Certificate of Pollinator Garden Creation” for the Club’s efforts with the Butterfly Garden at the Cultural Arts Center at 8652 Campbellton Street. The recognition stated that the Club and the Master Gardeners “have made special efforts to increase pollinator habitats across Georgia through the Pollinator Spaces Project”. This butterfly garden was designed by Master Gardener Randy Cooper; and created, funded, and maintained by the Douglas County Master Gardeners and the Ama-Kanasta Garden Club. The garden contains both host and nectar plants integral to the survival of the Monarch Butterfly, and is an ongoing project of the garden club and the Master Gardeners. Its efforts include plant labeling with common names, botanical names and other identification information. The CAC Butterfly Garden is part of the newly inaugurated Douglas County Butterfly Trail, as well as the National Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail.
The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., recognized Ama-Kanasta for its continuing contributions to its Named Scholarship Fund. The Ama-Kanasta Scholarship, established in 2011 by its members in honor of the club, awards scholarships to deserving students majoring in a garden or environmentally related field of study. To date, they have contributed $5,000 to this fund. In addition to the Named Scholarship Fund, the garden club gave a $2,000 scholarship to Douglas County resident William Hembree to help with his education at the University of Georgia in undergraduate horticultural studies, and at North Carolina State in graduate study.
Scholarship funds and program contributions are able to be made by Ama-Kanasta due in part from their fashion show and luncheon fund-raisers.
Douglas County Board of Commissioners
Department of Communications and Community Relations • 8700 Hospital Drive • Douglasville, Georgia 30134
Wes Tallon, Director/Public Information Officer • 770.920.7593 office • 404.405.0401 cell • wtallon@co.douglas.ga.us
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com Douglas County Happenings
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