IDEAS FOR CLUB YEARBOOKS

Requirements in bold type

Printable link: IDEAS FOR CLUB YEARBOOK PDF 

FORMAT  15 pts. total

 BOOK STRUCTURE: Practical, convenient size, durable, neat  3 pts. Club’s choice of size. Stapled, spiral or permanent binder. Neatness: material well placed, ample margins, type large enough to read,

 

 COVER: name of club, town, sate, year (design optional) 2 pts. If permanent binder cover is used, substitute with paper cover and include required information on cover, and so note .

 

TITLE PAGE: Name of club, town, state, year, number (dues paying) members, affiliated organizations, (district, state, region, NGC, other) 2 pts. Number of Members: if state and national dues are paid on associate/inactive/honorary members, they are counted in total membership. Table of Contents: in front of book is helpful. Number the pages for convenience of members.

 

 SUBSEQUENT PAGES: In any order most useful to members 6 pts. The information in a club yearbook should be in logical order and easy to read. National and state info does not have to be in front.

• Club Officers & Committee Chairmen: phone numbers are helpful.
• Membership Roster with complete mailing addresses and telephone numbers. Don’t crowd list. Hint: “All area codes 219 and postal zip codes 79943 unless otherwise noted”; Fax and email addresses are helpful.
• Names and addresses of NGC President, NGC Regional Director, State President, State District Director, Council President (if any). Their themes are optional.
• Calendar of Events: it is suggested that you include district/state/regional/national dates to encourage members to attend and to not set conflicting dates.

OPTIONS 2 pts: club’s choice to include bylaws, budget, fund raising, roll call. NGC/Region/State themes; Club theme if used, should be evident through out the book. Theme may be interpreted with monthly program topics and/or titles, graphics, quotes - does not need to be interpreted in projects.

PROGRAMS (judged upon quality and balance of programs)  50 pts. total

Study on variety of NGC Goals and Objectives such as: Birds, Blue Star Memorials, Butterflies, Civic Achievement, Conservation, Environment, Flower Shows, Floral Design, Historic Preservation, Horticulture, Horticulture Therapy, Landscape Design, Legislation, Litter Control, Roadside Beautification, US & World Gardens, Wildflowers, World Gardening, Youth, etc.

MEETINGS:

• At least seven meetings a year 3 pts.
• Date, location/address, time of meeting 3 pts.
• Speaker’s name, qualifications (brief), program title 4pts.

PROGRAMS, WORKSHOPS & TOURS FURTHERING NGC GOALS & OBJECTIVES  40 pts. Give brief word description (lecture, slides, demonstration, hands-on workshop) ex. “Let’s Get a Face Lift!” Jane Elmore, owner of Elmore’s Nursery, presents a slide program on updating the front entry of your home.

 

 Variety of programs: A good variety attracts and keeps members. A Garden Study Club may have only horticulture and landscape programs, but the programs can be varied. Rather than lecture after lecture, plan a variety of formats such as demonstration, clinic, hands-on workshops, tours, panel of members, forum discussion of all members with a moderator, book review, skits, etc.

 

Monthly study: in addition to main program, club may have 5-10 minute monthly study, design exhibit, etc. given by member/s.

 PROJECTS (judged upon scope of projects)  35 pts. total  Projects involve actual membership participation that benefit the community and further NGC Goals and Objectives (does not include fund-raising or social activities)

LIST CONTINUING & NEW PARTICIPATING PROJECTS 15 pts:  There is no required format to list projects; could separate projects by double spacing, numbering, using bullets, bold face type, etc. Give brief word description of projects; who benefits, location, how community benefits, how members are expected to participate, chairman, etc.

• A club is not required to have new projects.
• Listing percentage of participation is no longer needed. Referring to a project/s on program page is not required.

 LIST DONATIONS 20 pts: List amount, in-kind donations, to whom, sale of state/NGC products (Vision of Beauty Calendar, state cookbook).     Examples:

• Stage a Standard Flower Show, “Spring Fling”, April 29-30 at Plains County Fair Grounds, Janice Adams, Chairman.
• Safe Haven: Teams provide plants and monthly maintenance for the perennial garden at battered women’s shelter. Rosie Leaf, Chairman
•  Ames Senior Facility: Members give monthly program at senior residence center, providing refreshments and garden related program for approximately 25 residents. Daisy Dew, Chairman.
• Encourage members to feed birds during the winter….is not a project. “Encourage” is not action…..
• Establish a bird sanctuary at Hill Elementary School with Mrs. Herbert’s 2nd grade. Ivy Green, Chm.
• Support State Projects...is not a project. “Support” is not action. Support how?.......
• Support State Conservation Project with series of three lectures on water-wise gardening at Wilson County Library, June 21, July 23, & August 24, Bubbles Blair, Chairman.
• Annual Style Show and Luncheon, May 9 is not a project. Funds raised are used for speakers, room rent, outgoing president's gift, printing yearbook, etc. and also to fund projects.…..
• Scholarship for graduating senior at Mills High School. Funds raised from annual Style Show and Luncheon, May 9, Suzy Bloom, Chairman
•  Trent County Food Bank  $ 25.00
•  Safe Haven Shelter, 3 Truck loads of compost   $350 value (loaded from city compost center into member’s cars/trucks) 
• Sale of Vision of Beauty Calendars 45 calendars  Could include number of years to show commitment. May give estimated value 

NOTE: Social activities Events that involve members only are not projects—they’re fun and educational, ex. workshops, field trips, garden tours, covered dish luncheons, or an anniversary tea.

IDEAS TO INDIVIDUALIZE CLUB YEARBOOKS (suggestions—not requirements)

Cover: decorative papers available at printers and office supply stores; computer clip art, original artwork, laminated pressed flowers, embossing with brass plate and stylus.

 

 Style: allow most room for most used portions of yearbook—programs and roster; different size and/or bold types to emphasize important material; don’t mix too many font styles to avoid busyness; colored dividers between sections, ribbon bookmark (taped in back).  Frequent Problems: crowded pages; uneven tabs & margins; lack of continuity in style from page to page; typos; illogical placement of material.

 

 Graphics: computer graphics, clip art books from book store, scrapbook stickers; can print in black ink then hand color; do not overuse graphics; use same styles—do not mix cartoons with Victorian.

 

 Monthly pages: make meeting date at top of page larger and easy to see; helpful to allow one page for each month; month at a glance—calendar of events on same page as monthly meeting; roll call subjects; business agenda; quote or short filler to interpret president/club’s theme.

 

 

Roster: different colored paper for membership; arranged to open at center fold for quick reference; member’s bio; photos of members taken with digital camera; birthdays; list Judges and NGC Consultants; list offices held in district/state; memberships in other gardening organizations/plant societies.

 

 

Other Ideas: former club presidents; design/horticulture/nature tips; awards won last year; club history; club library list; district conservation list; local and state legislators; addresses and telephone numbers of related organizations, e.g. County Extension, Master Gardeners; poems or quotations that interpret theme; coupon to local nursery; questionnaire or data needed by president for year-end report; blank pages for notes.

Barbara S. Baker, NGC Awards Chairman 2003-07


            DEADLINE for yearbook award entries is May 15th of any given year
                             4 BOOKS ARE REQUESTED FROM EACH CLUB
                                   Contact Monica at johnmonica@bluefrog.com