2022-2023 — Michele Quinn, Chair; Betty Murphy, Vice Chair
The Hospitality Committee was pleased to serve the Judges breakfast prior to our monthly competitions and wonderful teas after the Club's program meetings held at Union Congregational Church. Thank you to our talented and hard-working committee for making all the treats to feast upon!
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A big thank you to Susan Brady for hosting our annual Holiday Tea at her beautiful home on December 14, 2022. We also thank our Tea/Coffee pourers and Past Presidents: Firth Fabend, Kate Khachaturian, Gretchen Prater, Susan Straten, and Connie Young. Club Members' delectable savories and sweets enhanced the tea table, their exquisite holiday floral designs graced throughout, and boutique vendors enticed us with festive gifts. The event was enjoyed and remembered by all and we look forward to welcoming everyone when programs commence in the fall.
2021-2022 — Janet Oscar, Chair; Gretchen Prater, Vice Chair
We thank Gretchen Prater for hosting our annual Holiday Tea at her beautiful home on December 15th. It was so wonderful to see over sixty Members join us to begin the Holiday Season in such a beautiful setting. Thanks to our talented Members who contributed to the tea table, which offered a variety of delicious homemade savories and desserts: Barbara Baletti, Terri Breen, Betsy Burgess, Carol Callahan, Ellen Colton, Peggy Scott Fleming, Kate Khachaturian, Floss O'Sullivan, Patti Sullivan-Perry, Michele Quinn, Cheryl Slutzky, Michele Trevenen, Susan Yu. We also thank our Tea/Coffee pourers: Past Presidents Deborah Hirsch, Kate Khachaturian, Michele Quinn, Susan Straten, Sarah Stransky, and Karen Whitehaus.
The Hospitality Committee was so pleased to serve breakfast items to the Judges and Clerks on March 21st, at our first in-person program meeting and Petite Flower Design competition at Union Congregational Church. At our April 25th meeting, our committee served savories and sweets prior to our evening meeting. We thank Karen Whitehaus for her assistance at the Church and we thank Nancy Stroud for assisting our committee.
We are forever grateful to our President Florence Leyssène's leadership during the ever-changing conditions and circumstances of our times.
We thank our Hospitality Committee Members for their participation in our Hospitality events throughout the year. We look forward to seeing everyone in person when we begin our programs in the fall.
2020-2021 — Janet Oscar, Chair; Gretchen Prater, Vice Chair
This has been and exceptionally challenging year for everybody. Since we were not meeting in person, the Hospitality Committee thought it would be nice to remember our members who reside at Crane’s Mill with lovely Thanksgiving Baskets filled with homemade zucchini bread, dessert cart dreams along with nuts, cheese, and crackers. They were so appreciative that the Garden Club members remembered them at this time.
Our Committee member, Terri Breen, came up with the clever idea of presenting photos of past Holiday Teas for our December Program on Zoom. Committee member, Floss O’Sullivan, did a fantastic job in presenting the slideshow. We also honored Helen Geyer who was a long time member of the GCM.
We made a beautiful Easter Basket with quiche and homemade desserts and delivered it to our longtime member Eileen Butler. She was thrilled that we remembered her at this time, and sent her thanks and appreciation.
The Hospitality Committee members were so pleased to finally have a chance to bake for Garden Club members at the Annual Awards Ceremony which was held in the beautiful Avis Campbell Gardens in May. Gretchen Prater, Vice Chair, and I thank our Hospitality Committee bakers Kate Khachaturian, Ginny Demoreuille, Cheryl Slutsky, Patt Sullivan-Perry, and Terri Breen who joined us in making their delicious treats. Terri Breen not only baked but assisted us in filling the sixty goody bags, and also helped with set up and clean up.
In celebration of Connie Young’s 100 Birthday we sang 'Happy Birthday' and presented Connie with a birthday cake along with a beautiful floral arrangement from the Avis Campbell Gardens designed by Michele Tomasik. We thank all who participated in our Hospitality events throughout the year. We look forward to seeing everyone in person when we begin our Programs in the fall.
2019-2020 — Maureen Donahoe, Chair
This was the first year we were working at Van Vleck and we started off with a bang! A fabulous homemade soup and pasta salad offering from Floss O'Sullivan, the Hospitality Captain for September, was complemented by loads of sweets and savories contributed by the Membership as we were introduced to what life would be like for us in our new home.
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In the following months the Captains continued our beloved tradition of providing lunches for our Judges, Clerks, and Program presenters, followed by tea, coffee, sweets and savories for our members and guests following the Monthly Program. We also had our first ever evening event after which we offered tea, coffee, sweets and savories to all the attendees. Once again, we were fortunate to have Sam help us in the kitchen during the Program teas. Our Captains did an amazing job and outdid themselves with fantastic meals until our get-togethers were shut down by Covid-19 in March.
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Our annual Holiday Tea was held in the beautiful Victorian home of Bob Chapman and Florence Sinofsky. There were fabulous holiday floral arrangements throughout the house which were contributed by several of our members. It was a lovely event and everyone who attended enjoyed socializing, the delicious treats, and the opportunity to shop with holiday vendors. Thank you to Charlene Connolly for sending out the invitations, Susan Benner for arranging for fabulous vendors, and Elizabeth Linder for helping out in the kitchen.
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The Hospitality Committee is grateful for the cooperative effort of our members who take on the task of being a Hospitality Captain and ensuring a wonderful lunch is presented to our guests. Thanks, as well, go out to the members who contribute sweets and savories for our monthly teas. Hopefully, we will be able to resume getting together in person in the near future when we will all be taken care of by our new Hospitality Chair, Janet Oscar.