Good morning!
I hope this finds you well, warm, and perusing seed catalogs, now that the holidays are behind us! We have lots of upcoming events to share as we look forward to the new year…. So pull out your pencil and calendar!
First, great news regarding the leadership academy:
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY – please read!
I am thrilled to share that our Clackamas District co-directors, Jennifer Buss and Susan Piper, have been working hard to create the “Leadership Academy,” for all garden club members in our district. The Leadership Academy will provide club officers and members opportunities to learn how to make their clubs more effective – be it through parliamentary procedures, fundraising, growing membership, understanding bylaws, or whatever!
The upcoming Leadership Academy Zoom sessions are scheduled for January 28th and February 25th. All garden club officers are strongly encouraged to attend these introductory sessions, but everyone is invited to participate so you too can help your club! This is truly a wonderful opportunity for everyone, but especially if you serve in a leadership or committee role, or would ever want to think about doing so!
Currently, only five people have registered. Jennifer and Susan have put a lot of time and thought into this and are really hoping for more attendance and enthusiasm. The session information is attached and each Zoom meeting has its own registration link included. If you need help registering, please contact Jennifer, Julie, or myself and we will happily help you! Please consider joining us for one or both of these zoom sessions!
If you don’t feel comfortable zooming, but would like to participate, let me know, and maybe we can find another member with whom you can zoom!
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY INFORMATION
Leadership Academy #1 on ZOOM
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 10-11:30 am
Board Leadership & Parliamentary Procedure
1. Best Practices and Legal Responsibilities as Officers and Board Members, led by OSFGC First Vice President, Bernadette Sterry.
2. A Primer on Parliamentary Procedure, led by our own District Parliamentarian Mary
L.K. Davis. (You’ll find the information useful for your other community leadership activities,
as well.) The entire first session is 90 minutes, from 10 – 11:30 am. Preregistration is
required. All Garden Club officers highly encouraged to attend.
Registration Link:
Leadership Academy #2 on ZOOM
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 10-11:30 am
West Linn Garden Club’s Cathryn Viteri will lead a 45-minute presentation on ‘Webpage
Considerations’, and the final 45 minutes on ‘Social Media Tips’.
All Garden Club officers highly encouraged to attend.
Registration link:
Second, below is a list of our club’s upcoming events:
You can also find this on our webpage, at happyvalleygardenclub.org. Please remember that this is a tentative schedule. You will get a reminder email from me at the beginning of each month, just confirming the details.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT A GLANCE
JANUARY
Jan 13 – No Meeting
Jan 27– COFFEE CHAT – Elka Bee’s on Sunnyside – 9:30 am, in the backroom (come when you
can, leave when you must)
FEBRUARY
February 10 – Protecting Ourselves From Scams & Fraud –Presentation by AARP representative
February 24 – COFFEE CHAT – Biscuits, off of Stevens Creek Rd – 9:30 am
MARCH
March 10 – The Importance of Dragonflies – Dakota Hufford Entomologist from the Clackamas Basin Council
March 31 – COFFEE CHAT – Lux Coffee Lounge (11059 Division) – 9:30 am
APRIL
April 14 – Thompson Farms – Mr. Thompson will discuss farming & share veggie gardening tips
April 28 – COFFEE CHAT/LUNCH – Oswego Grill – 11:30 a.m. (Clackamas Town Center)
MAY
May 12 – Garden Futures – Presentation by a Master Gardener from the Garden Futures
Program that will help us learn how to garden (landscape) in the warmer, drier climate
we are seeing in the Pacific Northwest.
May 26 – FIELD TRIP: Rare Plant Research Nursery (THIS IS TENTATIVE) – time to be determined
Lastly, but probably most important, Leona wanted me to be sure to give you the recipe for the slug solution! And February is the time to start applying it! Here you go:
The following is a combination of two articles, both attributed to Elsie Skinner, longtime president of the Northwest Hosta and Shade Gardening Society. Her motto was “Never let a slug escape!”
From a well-worn article saved by Leona, “In late February before shoots emerge, Elsie advises sprinkling about ½ to 1 cup of this mixture: one part non-sudsy ammonia (which Leona can no longer find, so she uses plain ammonia) and four parts water onto the crown of hostas and other susceptible perennials. This does in the slug eggs.”
From the Wilsonville Garden Club:
Household ammonia at the correct dilution not only destroys slugs, at the 5:1 dilution the solution it actually provides a source of nitrogen which plants absorb through their foliage. It is effective at killing baby slugs early in the spring as plant growth is emerging. Spray it on the emerging plant and on the soil around it. It is also effective on larger slugs in midsummer, as long as the ammonia is sprayed on the slug.
Mix 1 part household ammonia with 5 parts of water – for a total of 6 parts. (Example: mix 1 cup of ammonia with 5 cups water, for a total of 6 cups.) Some like to use a squirt of liquid dish soap to help the ammonia stay in contact with the slug, or use a “spreader/sticker” product. You’ll need to use some sort of a sprayer – either a garden type or an old Windex-type bottle.
NOTE: Whether you use the 4 to 1, or 5 to 1 ratio, either will probably produce the results you desire. Any further questions should be directed to Leona, the expert.
I know that was a lot to read, but you and I both know it was well worth it! Hoping to see you soon!
Wendy
