The Heritage Garden Club of Troy met on Monday, June 1 at Charlotte Lyon’s home. Ten members and one guest, Heather Loomis were in attendance.
President Barb Andrus opened the meeting by thanking Charlotte Lyon for hosting and introducing Joie and Bill Brasington who gave a talk about what preventative measures should be taken to make you safe when working in the garden as well as Joie’s experience living with Lyme disease. Joie pointed out that as gardeners we have all kinds of risks.
Exposure to UV light is the most harmful from late spring to early summer and straw hats do not offer protection from the sun. Wide brimmed cloth hats are best and white is the best color for clothing which reflects the sun’s rays and makes it easier to detect ticks. Sun screen should be applied every 1 ½ to 2 hours and any SPF above 15 does not protect better but may give you a false sense of protection. You should also make sure the sunscreen has both UVA and UVB. Sunscreen should not be used on babies under 6 months old. Be aware you should take plenty of Vitamin D to supplement that lost from using sun screen. Wearing sunglasses and clothing that covers your whole body are further ways you can protect yourself. If you take tetracycline, doxycycline or other medicines that react with the sun you need to avoid exposure. It is also important to check for changes in moles.
Bill Brasington mentioned one of the ways you can avoid bee stings is to avoid wearing colorful clothing, shiny jewelry and perfume and by wearing white clothing. To treat a bee sting you can apply a mixture of vinegar and cornstarch, ice or a paste of meat tenderizer which acts as an antidote to the poison. To treat a light exposure to poison ivy you should immediately rinse with warm water. For more severe outbreaks, treat with calamine or apply a compress. If you have trouble breathing or are running a fever you should go to the emergency room. Be aware that if poison ivy is treated with steroids it can return. DEET is the best mosquito repellent. Garlic and unscented OFF repel ticks and white or light colored clothing makes the ticks easier to see. Wearing a white shirt which has been sprayed with permethrin which is then allowed to dry before wearing is toxic to ticks but loses its toxicity to humans after it dries.
Joie and Bill talked about how severely Lyme disease has impacted their family. Joie was finally diagnosed in 2009 after living with the disease for many years. In addition to the classic bull’s eye marker that is used to identify Lyme disease and which she did not experience, there are a number of other possible symptoms including fever, rash, aching joints, neurological problems and a lack of energy. Joie recommends a book by Polly Murray who was the first person to become aware of and bring attention to Lyme disease. The title of Murray’s book is “The Widening Circle”.
Following the program, President Andrus opened the business meeting. She expressed appreciation to the Interact Club for their help with the downtown basket project. Several club members including Barb Andrus’ husband Jack mulched The Heritage Village gardens. Two other gardens at Alparon Park are next on the list of spring projects as well as the bed in front of the Boro Hall. Flowers will also be planted at the Blue Star Memorial.
The 20th Anniversary Celebration committee met and set a date of August 19. President Andrus reported that members of the Bradford County Historical Association may be able to provide the refreshments for the event which will take place at The Heritage Village. She also reported that three members of the club provided an educational program on herbs for the 1866 Farm Days which was held on May 11 and 12 at The Heritage Village and that it was well attended by many groups of enthusiastic fourth graders and their teachers.
President Andrus presented Brooke Ostrander with the Miriam A. Steel Scholarship at the high school’s scholastic awards ceremony in the Memorial Auditorium held in Troy on May 18. She is planning to attend Penn State University at Altoona, with agricultural extension and education as her major. Heritage Garden Club is very pleased to have sponsored Brooke and wishes her a very rewarding future.
Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania State President Sharon Brown and two board members, Barb Andrus and Judy Warn attended a planning meeting in Mifflinburg on June 3 to discuss the 2016 GCFP Convention which will be held at State College. The State Board meeting will be held at the Atherton Hotel in State College on June 8-9. Barb Andrus, Sharon Brown and Judy Warn plan to attend. The District V Board meeting will be held on June 24 at the Carriage House Restaurant in Mifflinburg.
Barb Andrus will be entering a Flower Show at the Lycoming Mall on June 19-20. She wants to remind everyone that it is time to think about entering an exhibit at the Troy Fair Floral Department on July 25.
The next meeting will be a work bee at the Fair grounds on July 13. The club will meet at the 4H Building. Please bring a dish to pass.
Following the business meeting Fran Gardiner made a motion to adjourn and Gail McMahon seconded it and delicious refreshments were provided by hostess Charlotte Lyon.
New members are always welcome. For more information, call Barb Andrus at (570)297-3043. The Heritage Garden Club is a member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and National Garden Clubs, Inc.