Three Harbors Garden Club News
2026 GCA Conservation Study Conference
January 25-28, 2026, Stephanie Perry represented Three Harbors Garden Club at the GCA Conservation Study Conference, “Odyssey in the Everglades”, in Miami, Florida. This gathering brought together members from clubs across the country to take a deep dive into one of America’s most unique and important ecosystems..
First, I want to thank Carol and Erin for encouraging me and selecting me as our club’s delegate, and Jeanann for her support as well. Your encouragement made it possible for Three Harbors to be part of this important national conversation, and I am truly grateful.
Over three days, we heard from scientists, conservation leaders, and people who live and work in the Everglades every day. What really came through is that conservation is not just about protecting beautiful places. It is about water, food systems, climate stability, and even human health. The Everglades is a living example of all of that. What happens there affects drinking water for millions of Floridians, the health of Florida Bay, and even fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
The sessions covered everything from water management and invasive species to community partnerships and large-scale restoration strategies. One thing that stood out to me was how much collaboration matters. Real conservation success happens when scientists, policymakers, local communities, and volunteer groups all show up together. We also learned about restoration projects that are reconnecting natural water flows, reducing harmful runoff, and protecting endangered wildlife. But one message was especially clear, restoration only works when people stay engaged. That is where organizations like the Garden Club of America and clubs like ours truly make a difference.
What I brought home from this conference is a renewed sense that what we do locally really does matter nationally. The choices we make, planting native species, using water wisely, and protecting habitat, are directly connected to places like the Everglades. This conference helped me see the big picture, and the Everglades showed us exactly what that picture looks like on the ground.
I hope we carry forward these themes:
• Connect local conservation to broader ecological systems, recognizing that healthy water, soil, and plants are interdependent.
• Support collaborative approaches that unite community members with experts and policymakers.
• Champion education and engagement, because restoration and stewardship only succeed when people care enough to stay involved long term.
Thank you all for your dedication to protecting our gardens, landscapes, and the natural world we cherish. And thank you again, Carol and Erin, for your trust and support.
Amelia Brogan awarded Garden Club of America 2025 Medal of Merit
Citation: Recognized for her leadership, service, mentorship, and dedication to horticulture, civic beautification, and community engagement.
Amy Brogan has been a dedicated member of the Three Harbors Garden Club since 2000, offering 25 years of exceptional service marked by leadership, generosity, and commitment. She served as President (2023–2025), guiding the club through a pivotal period with inclusive and inspired leadership.
Previously, Amy was Civic Chair, leading community beautification and outreach initiatives in collaboration with organizations like the Heckscher Museum of Art, Tri-CYA of Huntington, and North Shore Holiday House. As Membership Chair (2015–2017, 2021–2023) and later First Vice President, she fostered engagement and inclusion among members.
A talented horticulture and photography exhibitor, Amy earned multiple awards at GCA flower shows, including Best in Show, the Catherine Beattie Medal, and the GCA Novice Award at the 2022 Tea Thyme Zone III show.
Her professional background as a lawyer strengthened the club’s governance through her work on bylaws, budgeting, and long-term planning. Amy’s hands-on approach, commitment to civic engagement, and mentorship have deeply enriched both the club and her community.
2023 Conservation Study Conference, Jekyll Island
From November 7th-10th, 2023 The GCA hosted the 2023 Conservation Study Conference in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Conservation Committee Co-Chair, Pat Wolfert represented Three Harbors Garden Club. The three days included several outings to observe the conservation efforts of the Jekyll Island community. Members came away from the conference with a new appreciation for the environment.
Thanksgiving Centerpieces
On November 15th, 2023 members of THGC Floral Design and Local Civic Outreach Committees, in an effort to support our local community, created festive floral and herb Thanksgiving centerpieces to brighten the Huntington Senior Center’s dining room.
Our efforts were recognized by the directors of the Department of Human Services and the Senior Citizen’s Division.
Jan Pratt’s “A Woodland Garden” admitted to the Smithsonian Institution
2023 is proving to be a very big year for our own Jan Pratt. As if turning 100 years young on Thanksgiving Day wasn’t enough, her beautiful and beloved “A Woodland Garden” which she lovingly created with her late husband Jerry has been admitted to the Smithsonian Institution.
Jan joined THGC in 1965 and become the Club’s President in 1973. Her leadership continued beyond our Club as she later became Zone III Chair, Zone III Director, followed by First Vice President of the Garden Club of America. In 1995 she was elected President of the GCA which today includes over 200 Clubs and 18,000 members. Her accomplishments while President of the GCA included:
• Overseeing the transfer of GCA’s investment portfolio to professional money managers.
• Overseeing the relocation of GCA’s headquarters to its current address on East 60th Street.
• Presiding over the renovation of the Central Park Conservatory Garden on 105th Street.
Jan remained active in GCA following her presidency as a GCA committee member, and as a horticulture and a photography judge. Jan’s plants and cut specimens have won many blue ribbons at GCA and club flower shows. She also shared her beautiful plants as cuttings at our Club’s horticulture workshops, many of which took place in her greenhouse and plant room.
In 2012, at the GCA Annual Meeting in Savannah, Jan was awarded the GCA’s highest award, the Lifetime Achievement Medal for her “outstanding record of accomplishments in horticulture and environmental conservation.”
The citation reads:
Presented to Jan Offutt Pratt in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and horticultural achievement on both the local and national levels over the many years that she has been a member of The Garden Club of America.
The acceptance of “A Woodland Garden” into the Smithsonian Institution is the capstone of a truly amazing career in all aspects of horticulture. Jan is truly a gift to the world of gardening.
Laura Blumin wins the Garden Club of America’s prestigious Medal of Merit
Citation: With deep appreciation for her dedicated and outstanding leadership, supportive enthusiasm, creative contributions and steadfast commitment to our club.
During the eleven years that Laura Blumin has been a member of the Three Harbors Garden Club, she has contributed immeasurably to almost every area of the Club. From chairing the Program Committee the year after she joined to serving as Spring Luncheon Chair for three years, 2nd Vice President, 1st Vice President and President, she has shown an unwavering commitment to our club. Other committees she has chaired or co-chaired include Visiting Gardens and Photography.
Her hard work, enthusiasm and leadership have not gone unnoticed as she has won numerous awards from both the GCA as well as Three Harbors Garden Club. These include The Julia Fairchild Medal, the Nancy Gay “Best in Show” Award, the GCA Club Photography Award, the Jan Pratt Award for Outstanding Continued Service as well as awards for her entries into a number of flower shows.
As our most recent President, Laura navigated the club through the Covid pandemic, arranging for frequent Zoom meetings and “safe” activities so that members would feel a sense of belonging despite the mandated lockdown. In addition, she oversaw the creation of the club’s first website, and took on the task of keeping the club relevant through social media.
Laura is truly a treasure to the Three Harbors Garden Club.
THGC Receives Restoration Initiative Grant from the Garden Club of America
A letter from our immediate Past President, Laura Blumin
Dear Three Harbors Garden Club Members,
You may be aware that the GCA established the Restoration Initiative program in 2017, responding to the urgent needs caused by catastrophic storms, hurricanes, floods, fires and mudslides and assisting member clubs involved in public landscape restoration and conservation projects. These grants are awarded in limited numbers. Prior to this year, only seventeen grants, totalling $170,000 have been awarded to clubs across the country.
Today, the Civic Improvement Committee at GCA (Linda Fraser, Jennifer Lawrence & Chris Duncan) notified us that its 2023 Restoration Initiative is awarding a $10,000 grant to THGC to be contributed to the Tree Restoration Program at the Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve. You’ll recall the September 2021 Hurricane Ida microburst, which toppled over 200 trees at Caumsett, many of which had towered at 80-90 feet. Trees in the southern area of the park were ravaged. Trails and buildings that were canopied in greenery and shade for over 100 years became barren. Many of these trees were in Frederick Law Olmsted and Marian Cruger Coffin’s original landscape designs for this “Gold Coast” estate.
The Caumsett Foundation established the Tree Restoration Program to help address this enormous loss, especially in the front of the park. The Caumsett Foundation is partnering with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to have replaced and maintained over 60 trees, including flowering cherries, statuesque elms, American lindens and a variety of other tree species. We feel that the replanting of the lost trees is even more important on the tails of last year’s Olmsted’s 200th birthday celebration.
We worked with Janet Barone, President of the Executive Board of Caumsett State Historic Park to highlight to the GCA the importance of the Tree Restoration Program. Furthermore, we explained to the GCA that members of THGC are energetic participants in the Caumsett community and the Club itself frequently hosts events in the Caumsett Classrooms to promote education to the surrounding community. THGC’s walking club, ‘Clematis Walking Group’, frequently walks the many paths sharing fresh air, collecting seeds for future educational programs and the love of gardening together. Additionally, THGC’s Partners For Plants (P4P) Project has been partnering with Caumsett for a few years already planting areas of specific natives and pollinators in order to bring back the Checkerspot Butterfly to LI.
The Caumsett Foundation is pleased with this outcome and we are organizing a private walking tour of the Tree Restoration area, currently being planned for May 2023. Keep your eyes out for more details!
I’m very proud that the GCA has recognized THGC for taking a leadership role in restoring, improving and protecting the environment in our community.
Sincerely,
Laura Blumin
THGC Past President