Garden Club of Inverness celebrates the holidays

Members of the Garden Club of Inverness and their guests marked the holidays with good cheer and style at the club's annual luncheon and fundraiser on Thursday, Dec. 4, at Medinah Country Club, in Medinah.

The event drew 205 women for an enjoyable afternoon. The theme this year, "Winter's Gifts," included raffle baskets with themes like "Frosty Feathered Friends" (bird-watcher's basket) and "Winter's Balm" (spa basket).

The silent auction included a wide array of attractive gifts for the home and garden, including a ladies tea luncheon for eight; a beautiful. hand-pieced, fur-lined throw; and two custom paintings.

Shirley Putman and Sally Hard, both from Inverness, organized the occasion. Their committee included Diane Garcea, Linda Novak, Terry Pagliuzza and Linda Denison, along with the help of many other club volunteers.

Funds raised at the event will support the club's community activities for the year and its scholarship program for District 211 students. The Garden Club of Inverness annually awards one or more college scholarships to students that plan to major in horticulture, landscape design, environmental science or related fields.

Lunch was served at tables decorated with centerpieces crafted by members Shirley Putman, Sally Hard, Diane Garcea, Linda Denison, Beth Woldman, Melodie Moroney, Janet Sholiton, Cathleen Laskov, Jill O'Connell, Mary Rubino and Mary Jo Bregenzer. After the meal, the guest speaker was the talented John Regan, a past scholarship winner, of Twisted Stem in Crystal Lake, who entertained and delighted the group with his edgy and elegant holiday arrangements. The completed arrangements were awarded to attendees at the end of the program.

The Garden Club of Inverness is a member of District IX, Central Region, Garden Clubs of Illinois, Inc., and of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

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