President's Welcome
​Theme
“PLANT AMERICA, plant native, plant for pollinators.”
Project
“Feeding America, learning about and sharing our knowledge with others about plants for pollinators and native plants.”
President’s Message
Hello fellow gardeners!
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My love for gardening came from helping my father in his garden. He taught me how to prepare the garden for planting. Then we planted the seeds, watered and cared for the plants and harvested the produce. Dad loved growing roses and a variety of flowers as well as vegetables. My grandfathers also had large gardens. I shared my love for gardening with my children and now I'm introducing my granddaughter to gardening.
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My neighbor encouraged me to join her garden club. Little did I know how involved I would become and how much fun I would have. The experiences have challenged me, forcing me out of my comfort zone resulting in gaining more confidence. Last year I was asked to take on the position of 1st Vice President. I was challenged to take on a position outside my comfort zone. I am truly humbled and extremely honored to be elected president of CFGC and look forward to the experience. I challenge others to get out of their comfort zone and volunteer to be an officer or committee chair whether that be in your local club, district or at the state level. Currently, there are many vacant committee chairs. This is a great opportunity for sharing your skills and knowledge with others. If you are interested in being a committee chair, please let me know.
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Over the past three years, I’ve met many wonderful people, built friendships and heard some terrific speakers. There is no end to learning. I have completed the four NGC gardening courses and taken three of the environmental courses. These courses have been packed with useful information and much more interesting than I imagined. I encourage others to take the classes offered by NGC. In addition to Gardening School and Environmental School, NGC offers courses in Landscape Design and Floral Show School. I’m going to challenge myself to take these courses too. In addition, I’m learning more about native plants and plants for pollinators. Let’s share our knowledge with each other and challenge each other to get out of our comfort zones. I look forward to continued growth and learning both personally and through CFGC. I hope to see you along the way.
Sincerely,
Pat Smit, CFGC President 2025-2027
The Colorado Federation of Garden Clubs​
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