The Wilton Garden Club was honored with eight awards at the 87th Annual Awards Meeting of The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., Oct. 26, at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville:
- Tribute Award in Garden Therapy to Mya Smith, who leads garden-oriented activities at the Wilton Senior Center.
- Tribute Award in Youth Gardening to Pam Nobumoto, for her leadership in creating and continuing to organize the Green Teens gardening program for middle-schoolers at the Neighborhood Garden at Trackside Teen Center.
- Pauline B. Tyler Award to the conservation committee for its work with Yale’s Peabody Museum Herbarium, in digitizing and recording the data for the Mary Beth Wheeler Herbarium, which consists of more than 1,200 preserved plant specimens found in Fairfield County over the past 100 years.
- Civic Creativity Award to the civics committee for its beautification efforts, especially the gardens at Horseshoe Pond, the post office, Veterans Memorial Green, Merwin Meadows, hanging baskets, town hall, and holiday wreaths and donated centerpieces.
- Joyce P. Harris Award to Jerre Dawson, chair of the horticulture committee, for her continued efforts to educate members on propagation methods, managing the club’s greenhouse at Comstock Community Center, and leading the growing efforts for the plants at the Annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale.
- Luckner Youth Award to the youth gardening committee, for it’s Green Teen’s program, that gets middle-schoolers involved with vegetable and flower gardens, teaches the importance of healthy foods, and to give back to the community. The produce they grow is donated to Wilton’s food pantry and the flowers are delivered to the senior center.
- Environmental Concerns & Conservation Certificate of Achievement to the conservation committee for its efforts in co-sponsoring the Walk and Talk series of lectures and guided hikes that seeks to promote the appreciation of open spaces.
- Historic, Memorial, & Public Gardens Certificate of Achievement to the conservation committee for its efforts with the Wilton Historical Society to renovate and care for the Colonial Herb Garden.