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ABOUT FFGC

FFGC is comprised of a Board of Directors--8 Executive officers, 12 District Directors, and 87 members who serve as committee chairs who administer programming to serve a membership base of over 10,000 members. The Board focuses on strengthening local garden clubs through the programs, resources, and projects offered by FFGC.  FFGC is a Charter Member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and a member of Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc.  Leadership is volunteer-based. All members are encouraged to participate fully at the state level while maintaining their local garden club membership. Learn more by making contact with anyone in a leadership position, starting with your club president, District Director of a member of the Board.

2023-2025 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

OBJECTIVES

The general nature and object of this non-profit Corporation shall be to further the education of the members and the public in the fields of gardening, horticulture, botany, floral design, landscape design, environmental awareness through the conservation of natural resources, civic beautification, nature studies, and to instill in our youth the love of gardening and the respect for and protection of the environment.


We encourage the erection of memorials to Veterans of the United States Armed Forces and landscaped gardens around them.

We serve to coordinate the interests of the federated garden clubs in the State of Florida to further our mission.


Membership in the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. is open to all regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity or religious affiliation.

 District II
 Counties: Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Liberty, Gadsden
 Flower: Camellia     Wildflower: Coreopsis     Butterfly: Monarch

 DirectorCarol Garrison 


District III
Franklin, Wakulla, Leon, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette
Flower : Hemerocallis (Daylily)           Butterfly: Iris hexagona (Wild Blue Iris)
DirectorMickey Nyberg


District IV
Baker,Union, Nassau, Duval, Clay, St.Johns. Putnam
Flower: Blue Morning Glory  Wildflower: Ipomoea hederacea (Blue Morning Glory)Butterfly: Painted Lady
DirectorJackie Host


District V
Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Bradford, Alachua, Citrus, Hernando, Levy, Marion
Flower: Phlox drummondii (Phlox) 
Wildflower: Hemerocallis  Butterfly: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
DirectorSandra Messer


District VI
Flagler, Volusia, Brevard
Flower : Yellow Hibiscus          Butterfly: Orange Barred Sulphur
DirectorGwen Swertfager

District VII
Sumter, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole

Flower : Hibiscus (all varieties)          Butterfly: Coreopsis (Coreopsis)

DirectorCynthia Pesch


District VIII

Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota

Flower: Hibiscus    Wildflower: Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)    Butterfly: Zebra

DirectorJanice Hamlin


District IX

Polk, Hardee, DeSoto, Highlands, Charlotte, Lee, Collier

Flower: Red Hibiscus    Wildflower: Sambucus Simpsonii     Butterfly: Monarch

DirectorGlenda Dawson


District X
Okeechobee, Indian River, St. Lucie, Glades, Martin, Hendry, Palm Beach

Flower : Orange Hibiscus    Wildflower: Piriqueta (Turnera Ulmifolia)     Butterfly: Zebra

DirectorEmilie Palmieri


District XI
Broward 

Flower: Allamanda Cathartica,   Wildflower:Tribulus Cistoides(Puncture Weed)Butterfly: Ruddy Dagger Wing

DirectorBecky Shuberth

District XII
Dade, Monroe
Flower: Musaceae Stretlitzia Reginae (Bird of Paradise)  Wildflower: Gallardia blanket Flower  Butterfly: Schaus’ Swallowtail

DirectorMarylou Ruiz

 

PRESIDENT TINA TUTTLE
"Celebrating 100 Years"

Tina grew up in Pensacola and received an AA degree from Pensacola Junior College, a BS from Florida State University in Vocational Home Economics Education and taught high school Home Economics for four years before joining the Navy on a dare.

She retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in 1996, after having served in several capacities to include: Barracks Officer, Ordinance Officer, Nuclear Weapons Courier in Norfolk VA, DOD Coordinator for Mardi Gras and Operations Officer in New Orleans, Administrative Schools Officer in Meridian MS, NROTC Curriculum Manager and Midshipmen Summer Training Officer for the Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola. She received a master's degree in education from the University of West Florida (1987). In 2015, also from UWF, she earned an Education Specialist (EdS) degree in Curriculum and Instruction.

Tina is a 5-Star member having attained Master level in NGC Gardening, Landscape Design, and Environmental Consultant and Flower Show Judge. She also served as an NGC Horticulture Instructor 2003-2017 and continues as a Flower Show Procedure and Symposium instructor. She was a Master Gardener and certified Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Advisor for 12 years (retired in 2011) and has served as Florida’s Horticulture Chairman and the FFGC State Endangered Plant Advisory Council representative  by the Commissioner of Agriculture. She has served as the President for the Florida Flower Show Judges 2011-2013 and as an FFGC District Director (District I 2013-2015).  She has served for 9 years as the Chairman for Short Course North and is the Author, editor and creator of “Digging It!”, Florida’s Horticulture Study Series.

Fast Facts:

Established: April 24, 1924, Federated April 25, 1925

Number of Federated Clubs: 150

Board Meetings: two per year, September and January

Administration: Changing every two years in the odd numbered year

Convention: Annual held in Spring (Annual Meeting)

Officers: 8 - President, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary

Founding Clubs: Halifax Country, Miami, Jacksonville, and Winter Park

Fiscal year:  January 1 - December 31

Headquarters Building established: February 2, 1961, with renovations in 1991, 1998, and 2005

The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. is a charter member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. 4401 Magnolia Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110

FFGC Bird - Mockingbird, Butterfly - Zebra Longwing, Flower - Orange Blossom, Song - Suwannee River, Tree - Sabal Palm, Wildflower - Coreopsis

FFGC Library:  The library is available to all FFGC members during office hours. The loan period is one month, with privilege of one month renewal.  Library inventory


FFGC Official Song

PRESIDENT ELECT 

CHRISTY LINKE

Christy and her husband Larry moved from New Jersey in 2007 to Plant City, FL. after retiring from the police world.  Her first encounter with FFGC was at Camp Wekiva 10 years ago where she does the 7th grade primitive tent program. Camp Wekiva and all it stands for had me hooked from that moment and I’ve gone back every year since. She has been a member of the Plant City Garden Club for 11 years where she was President 2012-2014 and 2016 - 2017 as well as Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary.


She served as FFGC District Director VIII 2017-2019 representing 23 clubs. Her first FFGC board chairmanship was Bees Birds, and Butterflies starting September 2011 until September 2015 she became FFGC Bees State Chairman. She travels to educate the public about the importance of native bees as well as honeybees. She will also serve as Secretary of the Finance Committee, Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee, Ways and Means and Chairman for Convention 2020. Her other passion is when she became a Flower Show Judge. She has served on the FFSJ elected board for two different terms as Recording Secretary. Christy spends her spare time traveling to TN where she and her husband Larry have two sons, Jason and Mark, five wonderful grandchildren, three of which are 3-year-old triplets--and one cannot forget Chase our Quaker Parrot.

2ND VICE PRESIDENT

MARY ANN WHISLER

Mary Ann Whisler grew up in Tampa and is a Florida native.  She attended the University of South Florida.  In 1976 she and her husband left Florida for a career opportunity.  Over the next 20 years she and her family moved all over the country. She worked for IBM Corporation as a communications specialist, project manager and technical sales specialist.  Her hobbies include gardening, golf, scrapbooking and kayaking.

After retiring she returned to her beloved Florida and joined the Crystal River Garden Club where she was Secretary, Vice President and President (2015-2017), District V Secretary (2015-2017), District Director (2017-2019), SEEK Registrar (2016), SEEK Chairman (2017-2021), Convention Chairman (2018), Vice President Tri-Council (2019-2021), H&E Committee and Co-Chairman of the 2022 Convention.  She has completed all four NGC Schools and is a Flower Show Student Judge.  She has been a volunteer for Wekiva as a nature volunteer for eleven years.  Mary has received FFGC Life Member award, Hall of Fame, Pillar of Pride and this year she received the Blanche Capel Covington Leadership award.  She is honored to become the 3rd Vice President of FFGC and looking forward to serving on the Executive Board.

3RD VICE PRESIDENT LETICIA GUNN

Leticia Delatorre Gunn has lived longer in Florida than in her native and beloved Texas.  As a resident of Fort Myers in her 20’s, she fell in love with the paradisiacal lifestyle Florida offered. Leticia moved permanently to Miami in 1999 and quickly delved into the heart of her community. She became a part of various social and civic organizations that fulfilled her need to enact change and action for her community just as she had watched her mother do so.  Gardening has been part of Leticia’s life since she was a child. At a very early age she learned how to graft, air root and grow all kinds of plants from seed or cuttings from her paternal Grandmother. Her vast knowledge of horticulture, botany and plant nomenclature are her secret joys and some would say a superpower!   As an Accredited NGC Flower Show Judge, she has not only judged Flower Shows, but also been the recipient of many top ribbons for her flower design entries. She has served FFGC as Director of District XII and translated the FFGC brochure from English to Spanish. She is the recipient of the 2019 FFGC Leadership Award and Pillard of Pride. She also served as President of Miami Beach Garden Club for four years and led her Club to win many FFGC, Deep South and even NGC awards. Leticia has chaired various notable programs outside of FFGC, but is proud of her most recent Chairmanship of Wekiva Critter Camp and she looks forward to more growth opportunities within FFGC.  Leticia is a self proclaimed Orchid nerd and butterfly mom. She very much enjoys puttering in her garden accompanied by her 125-pound Italian Mastiff, Atticus.  Leticia is excited to bring her well known enthusiasm and never ending quest for growth and knowledge to the position of Third VP for FFGC.

TREASURER   

JANA WALLING

Jana Purvis Walling has been a member of Tallahassee Garden Club for 30+ years. She has been Chairman of the Jasmine Circle during several terms and Circle Treasurer for numerous years. Jana served as President of Tallahassee Garden Club 2009-2011, and served as its Treasurer for three years preceding her term as President. She has been on the FFGC Board since 2011, serving as SEEK Finance until 2015, and then serving as Scholarship Endowment Chair until 2015. She is currently serving on the FFGC Finance Committee and has been since the beginning of the 2015-2017 term. She serves as Treasurer of the District III Flower Show Judges and served as FFGC Recording Secretary during the 2017-2019 term.

Jana has served as a member of the Board of Goodwood Museum and Gardens, Inc., a Tallahassee house museum and gardens. She served as Chair of the Board during 2013-2015. Jana has also served as a member and Treasurer of the Friends of Maclay Gardens, a support group for the Alfred B. Maclay State Park. She assists University Lutheran Church and Student Center with their payroll and tax filing. Jana is a graduate of Florida State University and was a Florida Certified Public Accountant for over 30 years. She retired from State of Florida government after 32 years of service. She and her husband Ken have two grown sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and two adorable grandsons.

PARLIAMENTARIAN CAROLYN LOWRY-NATION

Carolyn began her affiliation with Florida Federation of Garden Clubs in 2012. She founded Gardeners Out East Garden Club in Lakewood Ranch in 2014 with the required ten members. It was her desire to  experience what her mother had experienced for 50 years belonging to a garden club based on friendship. 

GOE has flourished and has created a true sense of pride for Carolyn along with creating long-lasting   relationships. Carolyn is presently the NGC Environmental School Accredited Chairman for South Central and Central Atlantic areas and also serves on the board of FFGC District VIII.

She has served in the capacity of President of FFGC Tri-Council as well as Earth Steward Chair. In 2018, Carolyn completed the five units of study within the allotted time, to become a Registered Parliamentarian and currently is in the process to complete her Professional  Registered Parliamentarian status. Carolyn served as FFGC Parliamentarian from 2019-2021 and now again from 2021-2023.

RECORDING SECRETARY JENNIFER BARBER

Jennifer's journey into the world of gardening and environmental stewardship has been shaped by her diverse life experiences. Moving from the Midwest to Central Florida presented her with the challenge of learning to cultivate plants in a drastically different environment.  Fortunately, she found guidance and support through the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC), after enrolling her children in Camp Wekiva.  

Having spent her high school and college years in the Pacific Northwest, Jennifer developed a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Her upbringing in a military family allowed her to travel and experience various landscapes, fostering her love for nature. Volunteering at Camp Wekiva has allowed her to fulfill her childhood dream of living in the woods, further solidifying her connection to the natural world.

Jennifer is an Advanced Florida Master Naturalist, a beginning birder, a former FFGC Junior Gardener chair, an Environmental and Landscape Design Consultant, a member of Tri-Council, and in the process of finishing Gardening School and becoming a Master Gardener. 

Jennifer is very excited to step into the role of Recording Secretary for FFGC. She views this as an opportunity to deepen her understanding of the organization's contributions and to connect with fellow members who share her passion for horticulture, connecting our youth to nature and environmental stewardship. 


CORRESPONDING SECRETARY LINDA FEIFAREK-JOHNSON

Linda was born and raised in West Palm Beach and enjoyed a career with AT&T and Southern Bell as an Electronics Technician. She was always interested in gardening, so after retiring and moving to Steinhatchee in 2000, she sought to learn about the North Florida garden. Shortly after joining the Steinhatchee Garden Club, she became First Vice President, then President. She has served on most of the committees and held every officers position in her club at least once. She has taken the Master Gardeners course and had the first yard in Taylor County certified as a Florida Friendly Yard. After her husband passed away in 2016, she was asked to become District Director. She readily agreed and has fallen more in love with FFGC.

Linda had been secretary of HOG (Harley Owners Group) for 3 years in West Palm Beach and also served as secretary of the Steinhatchee Community Projects Board for 10 years. 

As well as getting her hands dirty in the garden, she enjoys working with the local PAWS (Pets Are Worth Spaying) where she has been a member for the past nine years. Linda has been adopted by FIVE kitty fur babies who have showed up on her doorstep over the years. Occasionally, she finds enough free time to ride her Harley.




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Email:    ffgc@ffgcmail.com

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