BLUE STAR & GOLD STAR MEMORIAL MARKERS

NGC WG-3 - junior garden club with most notable project/s educating the public on benefits of gardening for wildlife.

Budget or financial requirements: (Budget submission, budget vs actual, funding, 501c3 needs) No budget request has been submitted for this position during this administration. Expenses include packaging and postage for mailing Butterfly Sanctuary Certificates.

Related publications/resources:

University of Florida UF/IFAS Extension: www.sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu Florida Wildflower Foundation: www.flawildflowers.org Florida Native Plant Society: www.fnps.org National Audubon: www.Audubon.org Florida Audubon Center for Birds of Prey: www.flaudubon.org/chapters-centers/audubon-center-birds-prey

Short and Long range goals/objectives:

Develop a PowerPoint “Why Hummingbirds Hum” to be presented at various club meetings and other venues. Update FFGC Web Site Forms to add a Butterfly Sanctuary Certificate that may be printed and awarded to any individual, club, or organization that has established a butterfly garden. A revised Add an updated certificate application to the web site to provide for the option of requesting a certificate to be printed and mailed to the sponsoring organization.

Timeline reminders: FFGC Board Meetings. Florida Gardener deadlines

BLUE STAR & GOLD STAR MEMORIAL MARKERS

Position/Job Title: Blue Star and Gold Star Families Memorial Markers

Description: This historic program, and first nationwide initiative of the NGC, began in 1945 as a tribute to our nation’s veterans. It involves roadside and civic location beautification efforts each identified with a memorial marker. The program continues today as a most important public display of our FFGC’s support, respect, and honor for those who have served or are serving in our military services as well as the families which have lost a loved one while serving.

Duties and Responsibilities: The chairman is tasked with promoting the continued development of the program by encouraging the districts and clubs to: • Acquire and dedicate new memorial markers surrounded by attractive landscaping. • Continuously maintain existing memorial markers such that the condition remains a visibly suitable tribute to our veterans and conforms to the standards of the program. • Adopt and assume responsibility for care of “orphaned markers”, when feasible, where the original garden club involved has disbanded. The chairman should maintain a database of the memorial markers acquired and dedicated in Florida with details including the specific location of the markers. The chairman ensures all districts and clubs follow the NGC prescribed guidelines for the Blue and Gold Star markers program including guidance in regard to appropriate locations for the markers.