Board & Committee Descriptions

WH&GC Non-Officer Board Role Descriptions

Note: These descriptions are expected to evolve over time.

Program

Responsible for the program set-up at General Meetings, which includes: working with the custodians on the arrangement of furniture, greeting and helping the speaker set-up, introducing the speaker and thanking the speaker at the end of the program. Program Chair works with assistants to find, select and make contract negotiations with speakers for the following year. Attends the GCFM Program Workshop and investigates the GCFM’s list of recommended demonstrators. Coordinates with the Treasurer to assure that proper payment is made to speakers. Submits to Yearbook Chair and Publicity Chair the annual program calendar to include information for yearbook and publicity. Any changes in calendar need to be submitted to Publicity Chair as soon as changes are known to avoid erroneous publications.

Workshop

Discover, coordinate, book presenter and execute special events that are non-meetings. Responsible for set-up and clean up. Responsible for inviting membership to attend events and accounting for any funds collected as payment for the event. Provides accounting of event to Treasurer and Executive Board. Provide photos and a brief summary of the event to newsletter and publicity.

Membership

Sends a “New Member’s” packet to prospective members. Upon receipt of dues and application, pertinent information is given to Yearbook chairperson for inclusion in Yearbook and to Corresponding Secretary for inclusion in Distribution Lists. New member names are presented to the Executive Board. New members are sent a Yearbook and a welcome letter noting their introduction at the next General Meeting. Membership keeps a
record of past and present members, retains applications and tracks eligibility of potential Honorary Members. Arranges vote for Honorary Member at the May Board Meeting, purchases gift and makes a certificate for presentation to the new Honorary Member. Hosts and/or organizes a new member luncheon in the Fall.

Horticulture

Corresponds with the Horticulture Chair of the Garden Club Federation of MA for dates, times and speakers/workshops during Horticulture mornings at the Espousal Center in Waltham; transfers information to the Yearbook Chair for inclusion into the following year’s Yearbook. Informs membership of National and local district events as pertains to Garden Clubs and organizations. Maintains a notebook of information on Horticulture mornings and other gardening interests. The Horticulture Chair is responsible for sharing the quarterly publication of The Mayflower.

Yearbook

Design, create, publish and distribute the annual yearbook provided to members. Source content from other chairpersons as needed. Provide yearbook to members beginning at the first meeting of the year.

Ways and Means

Organize and execute all ideas and planned fund-raising events with the approval of the Executive Board. This includes forming committees, reporting progress to Executive Board and submitting all bill and income to Treasurer. A running account of expenses and income must be accurately maintained. There are several current areas of fundraising and the organization seeks to be creative in trying new opportunities. Current “ways”:

Opportunity Drawings/Silent Auctions/Centerpieces – For any event where these fundraising activities are warranted, responsible for asking membership to donate opportunity drawing items, silent auction items and/or centerpieces. Coordinates receipt of these items and creates signs describing each item. Coordinates with Workshop committee and/or general membership to create centerpieces that will be used to decorate meetings and/or events and then used for opportunity drawings at end of gathering. Promote all fundraising activities at meeting and coordinate volunteers for that promotion/collection. All receipts and expenses must be kept and turned in to treasurer.
Holiday Luncheon – book venue, caterer, forms committees of volunteers for table placement, utensil needs, table setting, place cards, table preparation, plating, serving, clearing, ticket sales and opportunity drawings. Creates and sends invitations to members and collects ticket money. Coordinates with Publicity to ensure that luncheon information is on Facebook and website.
Spring Luncheon – Same responsibilities as for Holiday Luncheon.
Plant Sale – In Spring or at Holiday time (in past) – gather materials, coordinate venue, execute sale. All receipts and expenses must be kept and turned in to treasurer.
New Ways – Seek new ways to raise money and make suggestions to Executive Board for approval.

Publicity

With co-chair(s) and committee members, publicize upcoming meeting, club activities, and special events through local and area media (newspapers, town cable channel, churches, community centers, etc.) to accomplish the purposes of the Club (WH&GC Article II), to market our organization and inform the community. Ascertain deadline dates and submit articles/photographs properly formatted (concise, grammatically correct, complete (date, time, location) and correct in content). Collect published articles: i.e., meeting notices, special events, including photographs, etc., and provide copies to Club Archivist. Captures photographs of events and shares with Newsletter and Website.

Fountain

Coordinate volunteers for the twice weekly cleaning of the fountain on Town Common from Memorial Day week to the week after Labor Day. Maintains instructions on how and when to clean fountain. Creates schedule of volunteers. Assists in the replacement of tools required to clean fountain.

Community Service

Bring the ideas and skills of WH&GC to the community to brighten public spaces and bring cheer to the community: providing bouquets at junior and adult check out desks at the Library, WH&GC meetings, and other venues as Executive Board approves. Continue to investigate new opportunities for providing additional service in our community. Bring budget information and need for volunteer support to the Executive Board for approval. Work closely with designated assistant to: do monthly arrangements at the Winchester Hospital meditation room, and arrange for the preparation and distribution of boutonnieres to Veterans during town’s annual Veteran’s Day parade.

Garden Therapy

Plan and purchase materials (with club funds) for four yearly visits (typically 2x in Fall and 2x in Spring on 2 consecutive days for each season) to local nursing home(s) for assisting mobile patients in creation of a project. Arrange times and dates with recreation director at facility. Coordinate volunteers from membership to allow for one-on-one interaction with participants.

Hospitality

Responsible for setting up the tea (buffet) table at general meetings. Activities include making coffee and tea, setting out food provided by members per alphabetical listing in yearbook, setting up the table and cleaning up afterwards. For each general meeting, the hospitality chair organizes a hostess to assist with duties, invites 2 members to pour, supplies napkins to coordinate with centerpiece, reminds members to supply food, and updates the condiment supply. If needed, supplies coffee and tea for the Holiday Luncheon. Need committee to coordinate volunteers, send reminder postcards and/or call members assigned to bring food, help in set up and cleaning.

Work with Executive Board and General Membership for information to be included in a twice yearly newsletter; compile information, print the newsletter and ready it for mailing. Send electronic copy of newsletter to members and share with Website chair to post on website. Newsletter chair obtains current membership list for emails and mailing labels from the Corresponding Secretary.

Website

Work with Executive Board, General Membership and Newsletter chair to collect information to be shared online. Design, build and maintain club website so that it features information similar to that found in our yearbook and newsletters. Purpose of website is a source of information for members and to attract new members.

Civic Beautification

Consists of a Chair and a Co-chair. They head a committee that expedites various beautification projects undertaken by the club in outdoor locations such as Winchester Common Urn; containers and fountain as well as Wright Locke Farm shade garden, hanging baskets, Sanborn House plantings, Ciarcia Field plantings and Nutile Field Sign plantings. Recommend donation for the hanging baskets at the April Board meeting. The
Executive Board is required to vote on all outdoor projects in excess of $500.

Officers

NOTE: The OFFICERS (President, VP, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer) as reprinted here, are all defined in the by-laws.

President(s)

Presides over all meetings of the Club and the Executive Board, appoints Chairman of the Nominating Committee, represents the Club at National Garden Club Federation events, joint district Garden Club meetings, and will perform other such duties as are incident to the office. The President shall be a member, ex-officio of all standing committees except Nominating.

Vice Presidents

Works with and supports the efforts of the President, accompanies President to meetings (as described above), exchanges knowledge of GCFM recommended programs with Program Assistant for the following Club year, reviews and shares new members interests with the Executive Board. Composes the “Year at a Glance” calendar. In case of absences or incapacitation of the President, shall become Acting President during said absence.
Upon resignation of the President, shall become President and hold office until next Annual Meeting.

Treasurer

Responsible for collecting membership dues and all monies payable to the Club; collects mail from the Club PO Box; pays invoices/expenses
(supplies, rent, speakers, etc) of the Club and ensures all funds are spent properly. Keeps checkbook balanced, retains all receipts and files taxes.
The treasurer submits periodic* Treasurer’s Reports and presents an end-of –the-year financial report to the Executive Board and membership. The
treasurer, with the President, submits an Annual Budget to the Executive Board. (Per Club by-laws, report is presented monthly at the Executive Board
and General club meetings.)

Recording Secretary

Keeps a correct record of all meetings of the club and of the Executive Board. Copies of the written reports are sent to the President and read at the General Meetings and Executive Board Meetings. The Recording Secretary maintains updated copies of the bylaws, policies and procedures, job descriptions, and the inventory of Club property. In April, all Committee Chairs submit a yearly report of activities for inclusion in the Presidents Book.

Corresponding Secretary

Handles all correspondence not pertaining to Chairpersons. Invites all new members to attend the General Meetings and invites East Middlesex District Garden Club Presidents to attend our President’s Day in March. Cards/notes are sent to club members who are ill or
have had a death in the family. Provides floral arrangement to Funeral home when club member passes away (depending on executive board vote of guiding principle). Club members should inform Corresponding Secretary of members who should receive above.

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