On behalf of the membership of the Ocean Ridge Garden Club, we want to send a heartfelt thank you to the community for its collective support of our “Tropical Nights Gala” on Feb. 29.
We count on the gala to provide the revenue we need for the philanthropic and community service activities in which we engage as a club. This year’s gala raised the most money ever and set a new bar for future fundraising events.
The support we received from the community was a key part of the success. The town of Ocean Ridge graciously provided the venue, and the tropical plants and flower arrangements provided by Johnny Mango’s transformed the Ocean Ridge Town Hall into a beautiful tropical garden setting.
The family of Walter B. Smith provided a generous donation at the Diamond Level, and Wells Fargo Advisors, Chris Wayne & Associates Inc., Douglas Elliman Real Estate and Arbonne Independent Consultant Carrie Patterson Besler provided generous sponsorships at the Silver Level. Our thanks go to each of these partners and sponsors!
Additionally, there were numerous community members and local retailers who contributed gift cards/certificates and merchandise that were combined into beautiful gift baskets and raffled at the gala. The ORGC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is Ocean Ridge’s sole community service organization, with a mission to further the education of members and the public in the fields of gardening, horticulture, floral design, garden-related art, civic outreach, environmental awareness, conservation of natural resources and civic beautification.
With this in mind, the club’s Patrice Mahon Scholarship fund is the primary way revenues from the gala will be spent. In 2020, as in the recent past, we will award scholarships to three students who are studying horticulture at Palm Beach State College.
ORGC also uses funds raised from the gala to benefit the community with natural plantings at the entry points to Ocean Ridge, promoting conservation and replanting of the dunes, installing native orchids in the Ocean Ridge Hammock Park, making Valentine’s Day flower arrangements for shut-ins served by the Community Care Center, and taking a leading role in the festivities for the holiday “Light the Lights” event at the Ocean Ridge Town Hall in December and other seasonal community events.
Finally, we thank all those who purchased tickets and hope everyone in the community enjoyed the evening as much as ORGC members did.
Jackie Reed
Recording Secretary
Janet Schijns & Lisa Ritota
Gala Committee Co-Chairs
Mary Ann Cody, President
Ocean Ridge Garden Club
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