Denise Wight with the program, whose cover was the work of a club member.
Goals
Garden Club Mission Statement
The Yacht Haven Garden Club provides education, resources and networking opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral design and civic and environmental responsibility.
Floral Fantasy is what brought the Yacht Haven Garden Club out on Oct. 12, as they gathered at the Mount Vernon Country Club for their annual fundraiser that supports the community beautification activities the gardeners do around Mount Vernon.
Whether it’s fixing the plants outside of Sherwood Hall Library, donating funds to the Wounded Warriors Friendship Garden on Fort Belvoir, or partnering with the University of Maryland Honey Bee Project, it all starts with the funds raised at the annual fashion show. Clothes are modeled, gift baskets are bid on and artwork raffled to raise funds.
Saving the honey bees is a challenge taken on by organizations on a global scale, but the gardeners plant some bee-friendly plants and donate money to support the efforts by others. “It’s a very serious project,” said Babs McClendon, a member of the garden club for 25 years.
“We contribute money so someone else can do the planting,” said Gail Mliarchik, chairman of the fashion show.
In previous years, the fashion show has been at Fort Belvoir but this is the first year they were at the country club. In 1983, at their first fashion show, the clothing styles were a little different and more formal, but now the trend seems to be toward casual. “I think things have gotten more relaxed, it reflects the style these days,” said McClendon.
To Denise Wight, it’s comfort and easy, “more vacation-type clothes,” she said.
The clothing in the show was from Details of Occoquan, and modeled by members of the garden club. When the models are through on the catwalk, the clothes can then be purchased by the audience or the models themselves. Some of the money goes back to the company, and some goes to the garden club. “I bought one of the tops I’m wearing today,” said Patricia Uchello, standing outside the dressing room.