On the Ground, In the Air and On the Water, Green Thumb Garden Club Has It Covered in 2025

By Kathleen Edge, Publicity & Website Chair

This month kicks off a busy second half of Green Thumb Garden Club member meetings, January through May 2025.

An important tenet of GTGC’s mission is environmental awareness. In support of this focus, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance will provide members and guests with an update on their activities in the immediate and surrounding area including the state of the Bay. The meeting, with lunch included, is on January 15, 2025 at the Westwinds Conference Center, 4700 Westwinds Drive, Miramar Beach, Florida 32550. Check in begins at 9:30 am. Cost is $30. per person.

GTGC will celebrate Arbor Day on January 17, 2025, by honoring Walton County founders and veterans with the planting of two trees at Historic Gulf Cemetery, 1466 South County 393, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Local resident, Four-Star General Phillip Breedlove (Retired), will lead the dedication ceremony beginning at 10:00 am.

February’s meeting will have participants flying high and landing in their own gardens. Ron Houser from the Audubon Society of Bay County will educate us on “How to attract birds to your yard with native plants”. Check in is 9:30 am at Westwinds Conference Center.

The March meeting brings in a past GTGC Mercer Scholarship recipient, Casey McClain, to show participants how achieve the best results from a container herb gardening.

April and May meeting details are near completion and will be announced at the January 2025 meeting.

Green Thumb Garden concluded a very successful 2024 calendar year by awarding $6,000. three Mercer Scholarships and over $12,000. in donations to non-profit organizations in Walton County. Donations included 4H Camp Timpoochee, E.O Wilson Naturalists Outdoors Camp, WCSO Santa Patrol, a Habitat Family from DeFuniak Springs, Caring & Sharing of South Walton, and other organizations.

Fundraising and donations will continue in 2025. Please visit the Green Thumb Garden Club website to learn about our charitable mission, how to join and details on meetings, activities, and events. The website address is greenthumbgardenclubinc.org or send an email to greenthumbgardenclubinc@gmail.com.

The Green Thumb Garden Club, Inc., located in Walton County, Florida, is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to stimulate interest in the beautification of Walton County, furthering the education of its members and the public in gardening ~ horticulture ~ botany ~ floral design ~ environmental awareness ~ conservation of natural resources ~ civic beautification ~ nature studies and instill in our youth the love of gardening and respect for the environment.