This year, past vice president Patti Chieffo took over as the new president of the Moriches Bay Garden Club. She succeeds former president Debbie Cannarelli, who will now serve as the vice president.
“Patti is doing an excellent job as president of the Moriches Bay Garden Club,” said Cannarelli. “She is organized, timely, and relevant in her plans for our club.”
Chieffo has been a member of the club for five years. Her friend Rita, many years ago, invited her to join; although it sounded enjoyable, she said, she didn’t think she could manage another activity while working full time.
“So, when I retired, I joined the club,” she said, noting she is so glad she joined. “I never expected to be the president, but I know that it’s important for everyone to participate at least a little bit, so a few people don’t have to do all the work.”
As for the beauty of the club, she said, several of the members are master gardeners.
“They are a wealth of knowledge,” she explained. “And many other members are very experienced gardeners, also with knowledge and experience and beautiful gardens. When I have a garden question, someone has a suggestion.”
As for why people should join, she said it’s nice to be around people who share common interests and it’s enjoyable attending various meetings and field trips.
Meetings are typically held on the third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m., in Center Moriches, and usually include a speaker who presents information about certain kinds of plants, gardens, pollinators, animals, or the environment.
“It’s a great way to spend a Thursday afternoon,” she said.
The field trips are to local places the members like to visit, or new places they have never been before such as learning about the national seashore or exploring the Nature Conservancy. They also participate in civic activities like the Great Brookhaven Cleanup, the Memorial Day parade, and planting trees and plants in the community.
The club, Chieffo said, also hosts their annual fundraiser luncheon in September, though the date and place have yet to be finalized. Their annual plant sale was also held the last weekend in April, where many members brought flowers, trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials.
“They are reasonably priced and I always enjoy talking to the people who come to find out what they have growing in their gardens,” Chieffo said of the event.
As for her new role, she said, though she didn’t realize how much work was involved with planning everything, she is grateful to the many members who are willing to help get the job done.
Her goal as president, she said, is to bring in new members, share their love of gardening and community with others, and learn new ways to help keep the environment healthy.
If you are interested in plants and gardening and would like to join the club, call Chieffo at 631-878-4874. Soon, the club will also be on Facebook.
“A garden is always a work in progress. This year, at our first garden club meeting, I had Roxanne Zimmer from Cornell Cooperative Extension speak to our club about lawn alternatives. One of the things she suggested was to make some of your gardens larger and that will decrease the size of your lawn. Lawns consume lots of water, they rely on chemicals (fertilizers), and more lawns means fewer natural habitats. It was very interesting and made a lot of sense. So, my husband and I have added two new gardens to our yard and have increased the size of two others. We have some ideas for a different type of garden next year in a different part of our lawn. We have a small yard, but we’re trying to utilize it to make us happy and make the birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial creatures happy, too.”
-Patti Chieffo on her home gardens
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