October 2024

Metairie Ridge Garden Club won First Place Blue Ribbon in the Traditional Scarecrow category of the Scarecrow Trail at the 2024 Fall Garden Show in City Park. New Orleans.
Shown in the picture from left to right:  Karen Whitaker, President, Charmaine Kathmann, Betty Murray, "Monster Scarecrow", Jackie Ciuffi, Historian, and Sharon Rojas

May 2024

Installation Banquet

Garden Awards:
Daria Vincent as Awards Chairman presenting the following at their May 2024 Luncheon:
Best Backyard - Karen Whitaker, Best Patio Stella Bowman, Garden of the Year - Jackie Ciuffi, and Daria Vincent.
Installing New Officers:
Daria Vincent as Awards Chairman installed New Officers for 2024-2026 with a Chocolate Bar theme which was unique to their roles. All other members received a candy bar as integral parts of the Garden Club also.
Daria, Karen Whitaker-President, Stella Bowman-Vice President, Pat Terranova-Secretary, Kathleen Piazza-Corresponding Secretary, Jackie Ciuffi and Betty Murray-Historians, Betty Gibbs-Parliamentarian. Absent was Debbie Corales-Treasurer and she will be installed at the September meeting.
Retiring Officers recognition:
Daria Vincent thanked the retiring officers and presented each with a gift.
Sharon Rojas, Stella Bowman, Karen Whitaker, Jackie Ciuffi, Kathleen Piazza, and Daria. (Debbie Corales is absent and will be recognized at the September meeting).
Awards & Luncheon:
MRGC had their 2024 Awards and Installation Luncheon at Vincent's Restaurant. Beautiful white, pink, and orange centerpieces of Kalanchoes were given as door prizes along with a Kalanchoe for the outgoing President, Daria Vincent. Daria was also presented with a gift from the Garden Club as outgoing President.
Seated left to right are: Susie (Sara's daughter), Sara Stapleton, Dottie Pechon, Liz (Kathleen's daughter), Kathleen Piazza, and another of Kathleen's daughters.
Standing left to right are: Jackie Ciuffi, Jaynell Zimmerman, Maria Griffin, Karen Whitaker, Sharon Rojas, Daria Vincent, Betty Murray, Stella Bowman, Suzzane Scorintino, Pat Terranova, and Betty Gibbs.

Sponsored Competitive Awards given to a member:

Marty DeBolt - The Mary Artistic Award

Charlotte Benton - The Margie Jones Artistic Award

Charlotte Benton - The Marcia Caparotta Memorial Petite Design Award

Auction prize donated by MRGC for the JPCGC Auction 2024 ROASTER:

Another donated prize by MRGC was a beautiful Roaster. Again, Valerie filled the roaster with items donated by other clubs. Such an outstanding presentation of auction prizes! Not pictured was a red purse that our club also donated.
Auction prize donated by MRGC for the JPCGC Auction 2024 PUNCH BOWL:
Valerie Moscana beautifully put together the Auction prizes that Metairie Ridge Garden Club donated for the JPCGC Awards Luncheon Auction. Inserted inside a gorgeous Punch Bowl which included twelve punch bowl cups were other items donated by other clubs.

Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs Inc.
Awards Luncheon - Porter & Luke's
​May 21, 2024

LEFT: ​Daria Vincent (The Girl with the Red Dress On!) accepted Awards for MRGC at the 2024 JPCGC Awards Luncheon at Porter and Luke's Restaurant:
Certificates were for the following: Arbor Day, Philanthropic, Scholarship, Garden Club Achievement,Yearbook, and Stella Bowman for Door Contest Award.





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JPCGC Awards Luncheon: Daria Vincent pinning the 2024-2026 MRGC Club President pin on Karen Whitaker. Picture courtesy of Coleen Landry who was so kind to take this picture. Susan Finney, District II President, graciously obtained the Pin.
JPCGC Awards Luncheon MRGC attendees 2024:
The food was great at Porter and Luke's. Charmaine won both an Auction prize and the Table Centerpiece which Charlene Ardoin created and was so lovely! Sharon Rojas won the $66.00 50/50!
Left to right are Charmaine Kathmann, Daria Vincent, Karen Whitaker, Jackie Ciuffi, and Sharon Rojas.

April 2024

Marty DeBolt - First place blue ribbon Design
Debbie Corales - Honorable mention design
Blue ribbon and Award of Merit by Sharon Rojas.
Gerber Daisy
Debbie Corales - Blue ribbon and Award of Merit
Rose
The Old Lady in the Shoe was a design by the MRGC with Stella Bowman as Chairman.
Witches hat was a design by MRGC member Pat Terranova
Second Place Purple Iris - Betty Murray



NO PICTURES:
Charlotte Benton won 2 blue ribbons for her petite designs.

Jackie Ciuffi won several blue ribbons for horticulture specimens.

Design by Daria

Daria Vincent made a Design as part of the Metairie Ridge Garden Club's presentation at their monthly meetings. All the flowers were from her garden. The arrangement consisted of beautiful red and white Lilies, Mock Orange, greenery from Wood Iris, and driftwood from her collections. All were shown in a lovely metal silver vase.

April Meeting

​The Metairie Ridge Garden Club meeting was held at the lovely home of Kathleen Piazza. Their speaker was Betty Gibbs who spoke on Roses. Betty spoke on many varieties of roses along with showing us pictures. We were served a delicious meal of lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and a refreshing cake filled with fruit. Standing left to right are Jaynell Zimmerman, Daria Vincent-President, Betty, Karen Whitaker, Debbie Corales, Charlotte Benton, Stella Bowman, and Sharon Rojas. Seated left to right are Kathleen, Pat Terranova, Dottie Pechon, Charmaine Kathmann, Jackie Ciuffi, and Betty Murray.

March 2024

Metairie Ridge Garden Club, District II - We had our March meeting at the lovely home of Jackie Ciuffi with St. Patrick's Day decorated all abound. An informative Program was given by Debbie Corales on Designs. Afterwards we were served Jambalaya, carrots in a delicious sauce, salad, and a cake also decorated in green. Pretty plants of Begonias were the Horticulture researched and read by President Daria Vincent. Marty DeBolt's name was drawn for the begonias to be given too. Jaynell Zimmerman brought the Design which was a beautiful vase of fresh flowers. Daria brought cartons of Robin Easter eggs for door prizes. We all enjoyed ourselves.
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We had a lot in attendance at the JPCGC March meeting. A wonderful Program was given on Hibiscus. We all enjoyed food and fellowship afterwards.

February 2024

Seated left to right are Betty Murray, Dottie Pechon, Kathleen Piazza, Sara Stapleton and Sharon Rojas. Standing left to right are Jackie Ciuffi, Stella Bowman, Karen Whitaker, Pat Terronova, Betty Gibbs, Marty,  Daria Vincent-President, Debbie, Charlotte Benton and Jaynell. 
At the February meeting at the lovely home of Jaynell Zimmerman we heard a program from Tammany Baumgarten on Lawns. Jaynell served us red beans and rice, along with her co-hostesses Debbie Corales bringing salad and Marty DeBolt making her cookies and various specialty desserts. 
Betty Gibbs created a Design and Jackie presented the Horticulture for Charmaine Kathmann in her absence. 

January 2024

Jefferson Parish Council Meeting

Metairie Ridge Garden Club Arbor Day at January 2024 JPCGC Meeting
Joining the members of MRGC in celebrating Arbor Day 2024 are Elizabeth McDougald-Co-President JPCGC, Patricia Ortalano-President LGCF, Charlotte Benton, Debbie Corales, Jackie Ciuffi, Betty Murray, Betty Gibbs, Daria Vincent-President MRGC, and Mary Jacobs. We are standing in front of a tree that was planted many years ago in Lafreniere Park in memory of Debbie Corales' mother, Faye Brown Tiblier, who was a member of North Wiltshire Garden Club.



MRGC
Daria Vincent in her "get-up" having loads of fun at the JPCGC January 2024 Meeting!!
JPCGC Members celebrating the colors of Mardi Gras 
Kathy Bedenbaugh had a wonderful idea of members getting together to take a picture who were celebrating Mardi Gras with the festive colors of the season at the JPCGC 2024 January Meeting. Mardi Gras arrives in early February 2024.

January 2024 Meeting

Metairie Ridge Garden Club January 2024 Meeting at Piccadilly
We had a very enjoyable and informative January 2024 Meeting at Piccadilly with Charmaine Kathmann presenting our Program on the Fauna and Flora in Grand Isle, Louisiana. She did a fabulous job. Pictured standing is Stella Bowman, Pat Terranova, Charlotte Benton, Charmaine, Sharon Rojas, Debbie Corales, Karen Whitaker, and Daria Vincent-President. Front row is Kathleen Piazza, Dottie Pechon, Jaynell Zimmerman, Betty Murray, Mary Jacobs, and Jackie Ciuffi.