July 2026 Monthly Meeting Recap
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
7/21/2026
The July monthly meeting was held in-person and via Zoom from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. Attending this meeting can be counted as 2 hours of Continuing Education. (Find the recording in the Archives of the Monthly Meeting page.)
Board Announcements
Beth Fritcher and Molly O’Rourke shared information from the nonprofit organization.
Leadership Changes
Beth Fritcher shared upcoming changes to the governance of the RGEV program leadership vs. 501( c)(3) organization. These changes will not impact the volunteer work. Nonprofit board – Beth Fritcher; Maggie Maggio; Laurel Watt; Kathy Passe; Julie Bechtold
2026 Plant Sale Results
Molly O’Rourke thanked volunteers for their help in the Plant Sale. She reported that the plant sale had 1,061 attendees (down 27% from last year). The plant sale earned a profit of $28,200, down slightly from last year. The garden shop was a big success, and early distribution of labels worked well.
Project Updates
RCMG Project leads and other volunteers talk about upcoming activities and opportunities
Speakers Bureau | Nilgün Tuna
Nilgün Tuna noted that additional volunteers are needed for the Speakers’ Bureau, and that there are scripts and study guides available to help prepare new speakers.
Program Updates
Darren Lochner announced that the August meeting will take place at the Bell Museum, and attendees will also get to tour the herbarium.
Educational Program
Our June program featured Rhonda Fleming Hays, the author of Gardening For Life: Strategies for Easier, Greener, More Joyful Gardening as We Age. Rhonda discussed a number of strategies to overcome challenges and keep gardening, including:
Evaluate your garden – look for hardscape issues, problematic plantings and deal-breakers. Eliminate trip and fall hazards and reconsider high-maintenance plantings.
Consider downsizing your existing garden, doing intense cultivation closest to your house, and letting the edges of your garden go wild.
Make a move. Figure out how to keep gardening and how much gardening it will take to keep you happy. Consider porch, patio or balcony gardening, or maybe a community gardening plot.
Think about path safety in your garden, and use big, bright pots and plants to mark elevation changes.
Take a look at new tools – look for light, ergonomic tools to replace old, heavy, gas-powered tools.
Ask more of your plants. Look for plants that serve more than one purpose, for example “edimentals” that are both edible and ornamental.
Use more shrubs.
Use hardscaping and art to enhance your garden without maintenance.
Take a rest.
Ask for help.
Grow new gardeners.
Recap provided by Carrie Coleman
RGEV Volunteer
