Hampton Roads Garden Club
Membership Meeting Minutes
January 13, 2026
Woman’s Club of Hilton Village
Welcome/Call to Order
President Ann Fisher welcomed members to the meeting. Ann stated that we have a very busy meeting with a lot to cover today.
Membership Changes: Ann read a letter from Susan Armfield requesting a change in membership from Active to Associate. Ann stated that the Board had regretfully approved the request. Ann read a second letter from Courtnay Gilmore on behalf of her mother, G.G. Buxton. Due to her declining health, G.G. is resigning from the club. The Board regretfully approved the request. Ann stated that both of these members were Past Presidents who had served HRGC for many many years. G.G. was HRGC President from 1978-1980, 45 plus years ago and has faithfully maintained her membership and served the club throughout the years since then. Ann stated that was real dedication to the club! Ann hopes that we will continue to see Susan at meetings or events whenever possible.
Roll Call/Approval of the Minutes: In the absence of Recording Secretary Jennifer Dick, Mary Johnson called the roll. There were 42 members present.
Ann stated that there was a correction to the December minutes. Under the Admissions Committee, Chairman Trish Lively’s name was listed as Dale Lively. Ann apologized to Trish for the mistake. The December minutes were approved as corrected.
Program
Vice President Allison Clock introduced our speaker, Alexandra “Alex” Cantwell from the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Her program entitled “Planning a Pollinator Garden” was very informative. She started the program by telling members which birds in our area benefit from native plants and how that affects the entire ecosystem in our part of the state. She gave examples of plants, grasses, and shrubs that benefit both insects and birds. She reminded us that leaving our leaves in the garden in the fall help both birds and insects. Alex encouraged members to attend native plant sales at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens as well as sales on the Peninsula to help increase the native plants in their yards.
Officer Reports
President’s Report-Ann Fisher
On behalf of Page Kremp, Artistic Design Chair, who could not be at the meeting, Ann sent a sign-up sheet around for members to help with arrangements for History Blooms (Feb. 20-22) and Fine Arts and Flowers (October. 2026). Ann stated that the theme for History Blooms is Revolutionary Gardens. She encouraged members to attend History Blooms in Richmond to see the variety of speakers and demonstrations that are offered including Remco van Vliet, a third-generation Dutch florist. In addition, Peter Hatch will speak on Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello, there is a hands-on workshop with David Pippin, a luncheon with Frances Schultz, author of Hospitality from the Heart, and shopping with The Arranger’s Market. Tickets are available through the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
Ann announced that the GCV Journal has decided to reinstate a former tradition to publish the names of all GCV members who pass away during the year. The list will appear in the Spring issue. Ann stated that fortunately our club had no deaths in 2025, however in the future the Database Chair will report any names to Ann Heller, Communications coordinator at GCV.
In honor of the country’s 250th Anniversary this year, GCV is gifting each member club with a native tree to be planted somewhere in our area in October. Barlett Trees will be partnering with GCV to procure the trees. Ann said that we will be looking for a Tree Project Coordinator and a “Watering Steward.” There will be tree care instructions requiring at least a year’s commitment. The tree will either be a White Oak or a Native Dogwood with 1-2” trunks and 4-5’ tall. The club can decide on the location, and we are tasked with planting it and keeping the tree watered and alive for the first year while it takes root. This commemoration speaks to the GCV mission, “To conserve the gifts of nature…and to lead future generations to build on this heritage.”
Ann thanked the members for all they do to make what our club does so fun and interesting.
Vice President-Allison Clock
Allison thanked hostesses Courtnay Gilmore and Jenny Griffith for the refreshments today. She announced that our February meeting will be a joint meeting with the Huntington Garden Club and that GCV President Kris Carbone will be the guest speaker. The meeting will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Hampton. Allison asked for a few volunteers who would be willing to help with refreshments.
Treasurer-Sam Bishop
The Towne Bank balance as is $58,731.54. Sam said that we are halfway through the year and has a copy of the budget if committee chairs need to see what their budgets are. She encouraged members to submit their reimbursement forms to her if they have had expenses.
New Business:
HRGC Bylaws/Revisions-Presented by the Bylaws Committee, Ann Fisher, Allison Clock, Jennifer Dick, Anne Harrison Harris, Mary Johnson, and Sidney Jordan
Ann Fisher announced that the Bylaws committee was formed at her first Executive Board meeting in August of 2024. Meetings began in October of that year thinking that only a few meetings would be necessary. However, it turned into 15 months of regular meetings, too many to count. The committee began with in person meetings, but soon realized that Zoom meetings once or twice a month would be more convenient. And thanks to our technologically savvy Recording Secretary, Jennifer Dick, she made it all happen. The last Bylaws revision was in 2022. The committee researched bylaws from most of the District 3 clubs to make some comparisons. II was soon evident that it would be necessary to go through the entire Constitution and Bylaws, changing the document to include gender neutral language, adding a few details where needed for clarification and rename some committees. Standing Rules were added to the document to make it easier to revise and approve club operating details when necessary. The goal was to create a more user-friendly document that is self-explanatory for our members. Ann stated that members should have received a copy of the proposed Bylaw revisions with the agenda that was sent out on Monday. Ann reminded the membership that they may ask questions after each section is presented and that a vote for approval will be taken at the February meeting.
Highlights of the presentation are as follows:
Allison Clock:
Constitution:
-Article II Purpose: added promoting floral design to our purpose
-Article IV Officers: added Parliamentarian as a non-voting officer to the board
-Article V Membership: Expanded the qualifications for membership. Previously it just stated an interest in gardening and conservation. Now it reads: “Qualification for membership in this Club shall be an interest in gardening, horticulture, conservation, landscape restoration and/or floral design.”
Bylaws:
-Section 1. Officers, f: The Admissions Committee has been changed to the Membership Committee to align with GCV. Also, under F to clarify we added “Should the role of President become vacant the Vice-President will immediately assume the role of President.”
h: Added, “The Executive Board, by majority vote, may adopt or revise the Standing Rules of the club.
–Section 2. Delegates: Under this section we added the specifics of who attends the GCV Annual Meeting and the BOG and the procedure to follow if the designated attendees are unable to attend the meetings.
Sidney Jordan:
Section 3. Classes of Membership:
-Removed the class of Emeritus, changed the definition of Honorary and added a new class, Lifetime.
-Under each Class of Membership, added descriptions of each member class and expanded the descriptions of responsibilities. For Actives, Associates and Non-Residents none of these responsibilities are new.
-(4) Honorary:
Awarded to a non-member who has shown a long-standing commitment to the Club’s mission. Proposals may be submitted in writing by an Active Member to the Executive Board for approval. If approved, the proposal will be presented at the next business meeting for a vote by the membership.
(aa) Exempt from annual dues
(bb) May not vote or hold office
(cc) May not present or endorse names for membership
(dd) Invited to attend the Club’s Annual Meeting
-(5) Lifetime:
May be granted to members who are at least 85 years of age or are no longer able to fulfill the requirements of membership due to health or other factors. A written request must be submitted to the Club President and approved by the Executive Board.
(aa) Exempt from annual dues
(bb) May not vote or hold office
(cc) May not present or endorse names for membership
(dd) May participate in all club meeting and events as desired
(ee) Not counted in the constitutional membership with Garden Club of Virginia
(ff) Subscription to the GCV Journal is at the expense of the Lifetime Member
(f) Leave of Absence. Added, The leave of absence will not count towards active service years. A member on a leave of absence must pay annual dues. (This has always been done but never written in the by-laws.)
Section 4. Membership
The Admissions Committee has been renamed the Membership Committee to realign with GCV.
-(i) Instructions for Absentee Voting: If unable to attend the meeting to vote on a proposed member, contact the Membership Chair and deliver your Absentee vote, to be recorded.
Anne Harrison Harris:
-In this section we have also changed the name of the Admissions Committee to the Membership Committee
Section 6. Meetings
-(a) Added, Robert’s Rules of Order latest edition shall be the parliamentary authority for the Club in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with these Bylaws and any special rules of order the club may adopt. We have always used Robert’s Rules of Order to govern our club, but this was never written anywhere.
-(b) Added that our Club’s Annual Meeting shall be the Tuesday in May following the Annual Meeting of the GCV, “when the calendar permits.” Now that GCV holds the Annual Meeting so late in the month of May, we may not be able to always hold our Club’s annual meeting after the GCV Annual Meeting, it may need to be held before. This gives the President and VP some leeway on scheduling.
-(e) Excessive individual absences during the year shall be brought to the attention of the President by the Recording Secretary. This previously stated that this would be brought to the Board but in past years the President had been discreetly handling this and consults the Board if necessary.
-(g) Electronic meetings and voting are permitted when necessary. This aligns with GCV and other clubs, we have never had it written in the Bylaws.
Section 7. Dues
-Moved most details and specifics of dues to the Standing Rules.
-(d) Added: The HRGC will pay each member’s annual dues to the Garden Club of VA. This has always been the case but never written anywhere.
-(e) Added: After one calendar year, any member of the Club not paying dues or who has not requested a status change, may be removed from membership at the discretion of the Executive Board. This was added because the Board never had a definitive rule on how to handle this within a certain timeframe.
Section 8. Committees
-All Committee descriptions have been moved to Standing Rules
-(a) Added: All Active members shall serve as committee chairs or committee members as assigned. Nothing new, just never written anywhere.
Section 10. Voting By Membership
-Changed the name of this section from Voting to Voting by Membership to be more specific.
-Put the requirements for membership votes under one section to make it easier to reference. Voting requirements have not changed
Mary Johnson:
HRGC Standing Rules
-Definition of Standing Rules: Standing Rules are specific, ongoing administrative procedures for an organization that aren’t detailed in the main bylaws, governing daily operations like meeting times, committee responsibilities, and equipment handling, and are typically adopted or changed by a simple majority vote, unlike bylaws which are more foundational. They provide structure for routine matters, ensuring smooth functioning and clear guidelines for members and officers.
Section 1-Membership
-Added proposed member contact information that will now be required on all membership proposals in order to help the Membership Chair and the President contact the New Member.
-Member Communication: Added the website addresses for the GCV website and our HRGC Blog, so they are all in one place for easy access.
-Membership Updates states who needs to receive your updated contact information.
Section 2-Budget and Reimbursement Policy
-This section provides policy on the budget and expenses for all committees and chairs.
-Added, The Executive Board, by Majority vote, may approve of a time-sensitive motion for an unbudgeted expenditure not to exceed $2000. The motion must specify the amount, its purpose and the justification for immediate action. At the next regular business meeting, the membership shall be notified of the expenditure.
-Added instructions for how to submit the Reimbursement Form.
Dues:
-2) Changed New Members dues to read, “New Members will pay a one-time initiation fee of $75 plus annual dues of $125. New Members who join in May, annual dues will be applied to the following club year. We eliminated the pro-rated dues as it was confusing.
-3) Added, For members who are approved for reinstatement, the full amount of annual dues ($125) is payable upon acceptance.
-After Dues, we outline how specific expenses should be handled by certain committees.
Section 3-Officers
-In this section we have outlined the job descriptions of the Officers of the Club.
Section 4- Standing Committees
-In this section we have outlined the descriptions of each standing committee of the Club. These were taken from the Nominating form that members just filled out for next year. Now they are easily referenced for our members.
Ann Fisher opened the floor for questions and discussion. Only a couple of questions asking for a bit of clarification were discussed. Ann reminded members that they would be sent a new copy of the Bylaws and Standing Rules with a few corrections before the vote in February. Ann stated that members may contact any Bylaws committee member with questions. All questions will be brought to the February meeting for discussion before the vote.
Old Business
Admissions: Trish Lively
Trish announced that the New Member Orientation will be held on January 27 at 10:00am at the home of Ann Fisher. All New Members and their sponsors have been sent invitations.
Community Projects: Sherry Maynard
At the March meeting Scott Meadows, Principal of Deer Park Elementary School, will be at our meeting to discuss a learning garden at the school as a potential project for the club. Deer Park is an Environmental Science Magnet School in Newport News. Sherry stated that York County Schools have a learning garden at each school and work with the Master Gardeners to help maintain it.
Conservation and Beautification: Julie LoCicero
February 4, 2026, from 8 am to 5 pm is the GCV Conservation Legislative Day in Richmond. There are great speakers and topics during the day. Links and information are in the GCV membership newsletter. There is also a dinner at the Kent-Valentine House the night before for attendees. Please let Julie if you would like to go so she can coordinate with you. Or if you have a topic of interest you would like addressed on Legislative Day, please contact Julie.
February 13-14, 2026, is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Julie asked each member to consider taking 15 minutes out of their day to observe, count and record the birds they see. For more details, please contact Julie.
Committee Member Maryann Ayer spoke about Data Centers and how they affect the environment. Virginia has more data centers than any other state, over 600, which totals 35% of all data centers worldwide. Texas is next in line with over 400. California has around 300. Loudoun County, VA is home to over 40 million square feet of data centers. Prince William County has about 60 million. Another 200 million square feet of data centers have already been planned and approved … but not yet built.
Loudoun County officials say they’re nearing a saturation point for data center construction. Prince William County leaders have projects planned that would bring their total to 80 million square feet of concrete. That will create even heavier runoff going into the Occoquan Reservoir, one of Virginia’s major sources of drinking water for Prince William and Fairfax residents. The other is the Potomac River. And all that runoff will flow right into the Chesapeake Bay. Data centers negatively impact our land, our water, our wildlife population and our health. They also drive up our taxes and utility bills.
Fundraising Committee: Teresa Robinson
Teresa reminded members of the upcoming Mardi Gras Event on February 17th at Sister Cities from 6pm to 9pm. Each member is asked to donate an item for Silent Auction. Members may work alone or with other members to create an item or two. Items may be dropped off at the February 10th meeting or call Teresa to make arrangements to deliver your item to her. There will be plenty of food and drink so invite your friends to join us for the fun. Members are free and tickets for friends are $10.
GCV Annual Fund: Mary Johnson
Mary reported that as of January 8th our club has had 12 Actives and 2 Associates that have contributed to the Annual Fund. That is 23% of Actives and 10% of Associates for a club total of 10%. Mary noted that many members like to contribute in the year that they are going to deduct the contribution from your taxes. So now that it is 2026, she is hoping more members will make their annual contribution. Since we have several New Members, Mary explained the Annual Fund and what it supports. Mary reminded the membership that the GCV annual year runs from June 1 through May 31st. If you are not sure if you have contributed this year, feel free to contact Mary.
Historic Garden Week: Stacy Queensberry
Stacy showed the HGW Poster to the membership and asked members who can place a poster in a business to please take a few and help her get the word out about the tour. Flowers After Hours will be held at the Mariners’ Museum from 5pm to 7pm following the tour. Tickets are $25 per person and may be paid for by cash, check, or Venmo. Catering for FAH will be by Joanne’s Catering. Stacy has paper tickets for anyone who would like to purchase tickets for gifts. In January the Flower and Hostess Chairs will visit the homes on tour. By our March meeting members will receive their flower arranging assignments and will tour their assigned homes after the business meeting.
Mary Johnson thanked all of the tour sponsors and the sponsors for Flowers After Hours. She told the members that there was still time to become a FAH sponsor and if they were interested to let her know at the meeting today. She thanked all the members who gave the Ad & Sponsor Committee contacts to pursue this year.
Horticulture and Artistic Design: Ann Moir for Page Kremp
Ann announced that there is a need for volunteers for Daffodil Day on March 25 at Virginia Wesleyan University. Please sign up through the GCV website.
Nominating-Dale Banning
Dale announced that committee members will be approaching members soon about club leadership positions for the next two years. She asked that members please consider stepping up to the plate and serving the club.
Way & Means: Charleston Bus Trip: Kristin Barnes
Kristin announced that the Bus Committee will meet this week at Jane Quinn’s home. The final payment for the trip is due at our next meeting, February 10, 2026. If you are going on the trip, please fill out the registration form and return it to Kristin or Jane. If planning on going to the Magnolia Plantation Tour, the cost of the ticket is $26 or $40 if you want to take the tram tour. Please include this amount with your final payment. At the February meeting a sign-up sheet for refreshments or monetary contributions will be distributed to the membership. Each member is required to contribute either $25 or sign up for refreshments.
Announcements: Ann Fisher
Ann wished all of our January Birthday Ladies a Happy Birthday.
She reminded members to Save the Dates for all of our upcoming club activities and GCV events.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted by Mary Johnson for Recording Secretary Jennifer Dick
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