District II
Director-Elect -
Secretary - Charlene Ardoin (Covington)
Treasurer Elect - Valerie Moscona (River Ridge)
Parliamentarian - Dottie Hebert (River Ridge)
Cleanest City Contest - Valerie Moscona
Chairman Finance Committee - Marieanne Arata , Chairman; Marlene Alvarez (Terrytown), Elizabeth McDougald
Nominating Committee - Dottie Hebert, Chairman (River Ridge); Elizabeth McDougald (Harahan), Donna Clark (New Orleans)
Secretary - Charlene Ardoin (Covington)
Treasurer Elect - Valerie Moscona (River Ridge)
Parliamentarian - Dottie Hebert (River Ridge)
Cleanest City Contest - Valerie Moscona
Chairman Finance Committee - Marieanne Arata , Chairman; Marlene Alvarez (Terrytown), Elizabeth McDougald
Nominating Committee - Dottie Hebert, Chairman (River Ridge); Elizabeth McDougald (Harahan), Donna Clark (New Orleans)
Federated Garden Clubs in District II
Acres of Green Garden Club
Mary Crumb, President (Kenner) DEEDS AND DOINGS Aurora Plantation Gardeners Kate Marsh, President (Metairie) Belle Chasse Garden Club Michele Eppley, President (Belle Chasse) Chateau Estates Garden Club Betty Bonura, Pesident (Metairie ) Colonial Garden Club Linda St. John, President (Harahan) Country Club Home Gardeners Jerry Haydon, Co-President (Kenner) Barbara Clinton, Co-President (Metairie) Fleur de Lis Garden Club Michelle Wax, President (New Orleans) Grand Isle Garden Club Ronnie Sampey, President (Grand Isle) WEBSITE Green Thumb Garden Club Letitia Lemaire, President ()Folsom |
Lake Forest Garden Club
Diane Baur, President (River Ridge) Lake Terrace Garden Club Lisa Ippolito, President (New Orleans) Lakeview Botany Guild Debra Johnson, Presdient (New Orleans) Metairie Ridge Garden Club Daria Vincent, President (Metairie) DEEDS AND DOINGS Petals of North Bridgedale Garden Club Lee Baraldi, President (Metairie) River Ridge Garden Club Kay Johnston, President (River Ridge) Riverside Garden Club Jeanne Bourgeois, President (Gramercy) Shady Oaks Garden Club Kay Maffei, President (River Ridge) Terrytown Garden Club Marlene Alvarez, President (Terrytown) WEBSITE Twilight Gardeners Kathaleen Burghdaul, President (Gretna) |
Jefferson Parish Council Meeting - November 2023
Honoring Yvette Dussouy - Plant America, Feed America
In early November, 2023, Ms. Yvette Dussouy, owner of Jazzercise Power West in Jefferson Parish, held a Community Outreach benefit to support the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs' and the National Garden Club's program "Plant America-Feed America" initiative. Her proceeds totaled $2,000.00 which she donated to the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs. The Council in turn donated the money directly to Second Harvest Food Bank.
Pictured at the ceremony of Thanks and Giving are from left, JPCGC Co-President Elizabeth McDougald; Louisiana Garden Club Federation President Patricia Ortalano; Heather Sweeney, director of development of Second Harvest; JPCGC Co-President Valerie Moscana; Yvette Dussouy, owner of Jazzercise Power West, and Isabel Cowley, an instructor at Jazzercise Power West.
Pictured at the ceremony of Thanks and Giving are from left, JPCGC Co-President Elizabeth McDougald; Louisiana Garden Club Federation President Patricia Ortalano; Heather Sweeney, director of development of Second Harvest; JPCGC Co-President Valerie Moscana; Yvette Dussouy, owner of Jazzercise Power West, and Isabel Cowley, an instructor at Jazzercise Power West.
Decorating Foundation Center - Lafreniere Park
The Patrons of Lafreniere supported the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs to decorate the Foundation Center at the Park. Coleen Perilloux Landry, a board member of the Patrons and a member of Acres of Green Garden Club, presented a $300.00 check to Co-Presidents Val Moscana, on left, and Elizabeth McDougald to assist in buying the tree and the wreaths. Members of JPCGC decorated the Center.
River Ridge Garden Club, the largest club in the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs, hosted the November, 2023 meeting of the JPCGC with a feast for all the members who came to decorate the Lafreniere Park Foundation Center.

The garden clubs of the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs decorated the Foundation Center at Lafreniere Park with a Christmas Tree and Wreaths. Pictured at the front door are Decorations Chairmen, Jackie Ciufi, far left, and Coleen Perilloux Landry, far right, and Council co-presidents Valerie Moscona and Elizabeth McDougald.
Celebration in the Oaks - City Park
Decorating November 2023
Decoration Urns - New Orleans Museum of Art
November 2023
District II news. NGC members decorate the urns at NOMA in New Orleans. From left to right : Donna Clark, Aurora Plantation Gardeners; Peggy Parr, Shady Oaks Garden Club; Debbie Johnson, Lakeview Botany Guild; Margaret O’Pry, Lakeview Botany Guild; Kathy Maynard, Shady Oaks Garden Club; Mary Ellen Miller, Shady Oaks Garden Club; Marlene Alvarez, Terrytown Garden Club.
DISTRICT II FALL MEET - Four Columns, Harvey
October 26, 2023
SCARECROW TRAIL, October 2023
NEW ORLEANS BOTANICAL GARDEN
The following are the top winners of the recent Scarecrow Trail in New Orleans Botanical Garden. The Scarecrow Trail was sponsored by District II clubs and the New Orleans Botanical Garden. It was open to schools and clubs. The scarecrows will remain in the Garden until November. Submitted by Mary Ellen Miller
Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs Meeting 9/26/23
The first meeting of the club year of the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs was held at Lafreniere Park's Foundation Center with President Valerie Moscona presiding. The hostess club was Petals of North Bridgedale Garden Club.
Pictured as hostesses with the theme "School Days" are front row from left, Marieanne Arata, President Lee Baraldi and Bonnie Gourges. Back row includes Catherine Hartman, Pam LeJeune and Mary Lou Adragna.
LGCF President Tricia Ortlano, a member of Terrytown Garden Club, is pictured with LGCF President Val Moscona.
Pictured as hostesses with the theme "School Days" are front row from left, Marieanne Arata, President Lee Baraldi and Bonnie Gourges. Back row includes Catherine Hartman, Pam LeJeune and Mary Lou Adragna.
LGCF President Tricia Ortlano, a member of Terrytown Garden Club, is pictured with LGCF President Val Moscona.
Standing in front of fence: L to R , Mary Ann Kennedy, Council Corres. Sec., Valerie Moscona, Council Co-President, Ricki Rigby. Standing behind fence: Charlene Ardoin, Josefina Carrillo, and Kathy Bedenbaugh, LGCF. Inc. Member-at-Large, Seated: L to R, Gail Boling, LGCF, Inc. President, Tricia Ortalano, Stephanie Kenning, Council V.P. and Susan Finney, Dist. II Director and standing on Rt of bench, Dottie Hebert and Kay Johnston, Pres. of R.R.G.C.
Federated Council of Garden Clubs
Honors Paul Soniat
District II , Federated Council of New Orleans Garden Clubs honored Paul Soniat on his upcoming retirement. Paul has been Director of the Botanical Garden for many years. He rescued the Botanical Garden when he first arrived and then again after Hurricane Katrina. He oversaw the building of the Pavilion of the Two Sisters, a beautiful venue for special events in the city. He envisioned and developed Celebration in the Oaks into a hallmark holiday event enjoyed by all generations of New Orleans and surrounding residents. He has been strong , yet compassionate leader and most of all, a friend to all of us.
Installation of Officers
Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs - May 24, 2023
Above: Reba Mackey of Terrytown Garden Club was awarded the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs highest honor, "the Marie Bradburn Award". for lifetime achievement in community and garden club work. Pinning her is Elizabeth McDougald, president of JPCGC 2023.
Left: Former State President, Mary Jacobs. |
New Orleans Museum of Art
The New Orleans Council of NGC Flower Show Judges decided to do an English Garden type of Spring design for the Urns at the staircase in New Orleans Museum of Art. This was the third time we arranged flowers for NOMA this year. Plants will be placed in the urns for the summer. The flowers are always a welcoming sight for visitors to the museum. Today’s designers were Nancy Click, Kathy Maynard, Peggy Parr, Kathy Maffei, Mary Ellen Miller and Marlene Alverez.
Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs 2023
The newly elected State President of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Patricia Orlalano, along with the new District II Director Susan Finney, both residents of Jefferson Parish, met with some of the garden club presidents from the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs to plan the new year. District II comprises Jefferson Parish and the River Parishes of St. Charles, St. John and St. James garden clubs.
Seated are from left, Mary Jacobs, president of Chateau Estates Garden Club and a past president of LGCF in 2011, Patricia Ortalano and Joan DeMille, president of Terrytown Garden Club. Standing are, from left, Coleen Perilloux Landry, president of Acres of Green Garden Club; Lee Baraldi, president of Petals of North Bridgedale Garden Club; Bonnie Hatrel, President of Shady Oaks Garden Club", District II Director Susan Finney, and Elizabeth McDougald, president of the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs. The clubs beautify their neighborhoods as well as the thoroughfares and parks of Jefferson Parish. They hold programs in the schools to teach Litter Prevention, Recycling and how to grow your own food. All of the clubs belong to the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. and the National Garden Clubs
Seated are from left, Mary Jacobs, president of Chateau Estates Garden Club and a past president of LGCF in 2011, Patricia Ortalano and Joan DeMille, president of Terrytown Garden Club. Standing are, from left, Coleen Perilloux Landry, president of Acres of Green Garden Club; Lee Baraldi, president of Petals of North Bridgedale Garden Club; Bonnie Hatrel, President of Shady Oaks Garden Club", District II Director Susan Finney, and Elizabeth McDougald, president of the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs. The clubs beautify their neighborhoods as well as the thoroughfares and parks of Jefferson Parish. They hold programs in the schools to teach Litter Prevention, Recycling and how to grow your own food. All of the clubs belong to the Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. and the National Garden Clubs
JPCGC hostesses for April meeting -
At the April Meeting of The Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs, Inc. at the Lafreniere Foundation Center, Metairie Ridge Garden Club members were Hostesses presenting a lovely Spring Flowers, Birds and Birdhouses theme. A wide array of delicious sandwiches, salads, dips and chips, and desserts were served. The Member seated is Sharon Rojas, President. Standing are Jackie Ciuffi, Daria Vincent-VicePresident, Charmaine Kathman, Betty Gibbs who brought a beautiful iron wagon with Daisies for the centerpiece, Betty Murray, Marty DeBolt, Karen Whitaker, Stella Bowman, Maria Griffin, Pat Terranova and Debbie Corales.
In Memoriam
The Jefferson Council of Garden Clubs held its Memorial Service in April to remember garden club members and family of some of the members. Mary Crumb of Acres of Green Garden Club, fifth from right, conducted the service.
Those remembered are Phyllis Stacy, Jane Bodet, Bill Klotz, Debbie O'Regan, Yvonne Ferrand, Harriette Charles, Gloria Ruiz, Paulette Roger, Carrie Martin, Michael Stapleton, Joseph Gibbs, Patsy Clement, Gaye Lehr and Michelle Boudreaux.
Those remembered are Phyllis Stacy, Jane Bodet, Bill Klotz, Debbie O'Regan, Yvonne Ferrand, Harriette Charles, Gloria Ruiz, Paulette Roger, Carrie Martin, Michael Stapleton, Joseph Gibbs, Patsy Clement, Gaye Lehr and Michelle Boudreaux.
Spring Garden Show in the New Orleans Botanical Garden April 1-2, 2023 - Standard Flower Show
New Orleans NGC Accredited Flower Show Judges, Federated Council of New Orleans Garden Clubs and Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs in cooperation with LSU Ag Center sponsored a flower show within the Spring Garden Show in the New Orleans Botanical Garden April 1st and 2nd. Classes were held during the show for the attendees of the event, with demonstrated floral arrangements given to the lucky viewers.
Jefferson Parish Council - January 2023
Hostesses from Chateau Estates Garden Club are from left, Mary Jacobs, Stanley Henderson, Judy Spadafora, and Bonnie Gourgues.
Stephanie Kenning presented an Arbor Day program to the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Clubs. Her topic was "the ten oldest trees in the world". The Council planted a Live Oak Tree at Lafreniere Park in Metairie for Arbor Day.
Coleen Perilloux Landry presented a slide show of her photographs showing the habits of the wild birds, eagles, egrets and limpkins.
Coleen Perilloux Landry presented a slide show of her photographs showing the habits of the wild birds, eagles, egrets and limpkins.
Decorating the Lafreniere Park Foundation Center for Christmas are members of the Jefferson Parish Council of Garden Club. Chairing the committee are from left, Coleen Perilloux Landry of Acres of Green Garden Club, President of JPCGC Elizabeth McDougald of River Ridge Garden Club, and Jackie Ciuffi of Metairie Ridge Garden club.
The Patrons of Lafreniere Park of which Coleen is a Board Member, furnished the Christmas tree and the wreaths for the Center. Members of JPCGC decorated the tree and wreaths.
The Patrons of Lafreniere Park of which Coleen is a Board Member, furnished the Christmas tree and the wreaths for the Center. Members of JPCGC decorated the tree and wreaths.