Garden club springs forward into new season

By Dana Kampa
| 8:25 a.m. November 10, 2025

Debra Sauers, Mimi Dolan, Sharon Meier, Melanie Dale and Patricia Geldermann discuss the season's upcoming events at the Longboat Key Garden Club's welcome-back luncheon on Nov. 5 at Café on St. Armands.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

After taking a moment to celebrate their win of the "Non-Profit Organization of the Year Award" from the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, members of the Longboat Key Garden Club turned their attention to future events at their welcome-back luncheon on Nov. 5 at Café on St. Armands.

Garden club president Melanie Dale told members there will be plenty of opportunities to get involved with the organization this season, especially with ongoing beautification projects.

Last year, club members volunteered their time to help fix up public spaces that needed sprucing and replanting following last year's hurricanes.

Susan Phillips, past president and a main organizer of the beautification efforts, said their priorities include finishing work at Bicentennial Park and replanting foliage around the Town of Longboat Key's welcome signage. She also hopes they can make progress on improving Joan M. Durante Community Park.

"We'll need a lot of help this year," Dale added.

However, volunteer work isn't the only item on the agenda this season. There will be plenty of opportunities to join informative workshops, nature hikes and prep for the holidays.

Dale was pleased to note the club already had several new members at the welcome event. The club is planning an official reception for new members on Jan. 13.

Upcoming 2025 events

The Longboat Key Garden Club started planning for the upcoming season of events during a welcome-back luncheon. Visit LBKGardenClub.org to register and keep up to date.

Light Up Longboat: 5 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Town Center Green, 600 Bay Isles Road. Members will have a booth at the tree-lighting festivities.
Christmas in the Garden: 5-9 p.m. starting Nov. 30 at Longboat Island Chapel Memorial Garden, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Enjoy the celebration of lights and music, with special performances at 6 p.m. For the full lineup, visit LongboatIslandChapel.org.
Baubles and Bites Floral Design Workshop: 5:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Bayfront Park Recreation Center, 4052 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Jon Mongeau, the talented floral designer at Longboat Key's Le Gardenia Bleu, will help participants design a beautiful floral arrangement. $80 per member and $90 per guest. Includes flowers and a container, but participants should bring a cutting tool.
Durante Park Nature Walk with Guide Elliott Prout: 2 p.m. Dec. 16 at Joan M. Durante Community Park, 5550 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Prout is an experienced guide and gardener who leads tours throughout Manatee County. $15 per member and $20 per guest.

Longboat Key Garden Club President Melanie Dale and Melanie DeCarlo sport the club's stylish new caps at the welcome back party on Nov. 5 at Café on St. Armands.

Ann Sears, Cathy Bishop and Linda Ulrich

Longboat Key Garden Club President Melanie Dale says each member of the group should be proud of the award they recently received from the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce as "Non-Profit Organization of the Year."

Longboat Key Garden Club member Melanie DeCarlo explains how she worked with a locally based embroiderer on the design for the club's new hats.

Longboat Key Garden Club President Melanie Dale said the cookbook members recently assembled makes an excellent holiday gift and is available at the J. McLaughlin in the Publix plaza on Longboat.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.