GBTS Community Projects
GBTS is dedicated to giving back to the community in Sussex County,
Delaware. We continue to look into new opportunities for the Club
to share their knowledge, skills, and love for gardening with members
of all ages in the community. Every member of Gardeners by the Sea
serves on at least one committee.​
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BEACH & BAY COTTAGE TOUR Members serve as hostesses for homes
on the tour, directing foot traffic, and explaining special design elements to
visitors. This event benefits the Friends of the South Coastal Library, which is
a non-profit, all-volunteer fund-raising organization founded in 1988 and
dedicated to providing support for the services and resources of the library,
in the beach areas of Sussex County Delaware. The event takes place each
year in July, and eighteen members participate. No funding is required.
BLUE & GOLD STAR This project is the first National Garden Club side-by-
side display in the State of Delaware with both Gold and Blue Star Memorial
Markers. The Gold Star plaque in the memorial garden commemorates the fallen and serves as a tribute to Gold Star families, Honor, Hope, and Healing. The Blue Star Memorial in the garden is a living memorial to all those who have served or will serve in the Nation’s armed forces. Maintenance is performed each year in the memorial garden, with weeding and replacement of plants. Flags are placed at these memorials for Veterans’ holidays. Four members participate, and funding is via restricted funds.
BLUE STAR MEMORIAL ON RT 26 The Blue Star Memorial on Route 26 is a tribute to the members of the Armed Forces who have defended the USA. Flags and wreaths are changed according to the dates of Veterans Events. The Town of Bethany Beach Delaware donated the land for placement of the memorial at the intersection of Rt. 26 and Kent Avenue. This project promotes ongoing recognition and gratitude to the members of the Armed Forces for their service to America. Specific days are set aside to remember and honor those in uniform, such as Memorial Day, July 4th, Veterans Day, September 11th. Members take down all decorations after Thanksgiving, to store and refurbish them over the winter. One member participates, and funding is provided by VFW Post 7234, the VFW Auxiliary and Gardeners By The Sea Garden Club, who are the financial sponsors of the Memorial.
EARTH DAY Gardeners By The Sea partners with the Town of Millville to sponsor an interactive Earth Day program where children can appreciate what our earth provides. Children from around our community participate in various craft tables, planting seeds, and digging worms. Earth Day takes place each year in the spring, at Millville Community Center at Evans Park, 32517 Dukes Drive, Millville, DE 19967. Six members participate, and no funding is required.
GARDEN OF CHEER RAFFLE Gardeners By The Sea funds various community outreach projects by raising funds, including the Garden of Cheer Raffle which is their primary fundraiser. The raffle takes place in the fall each year, and the raffle winner will be announced on December 13, 2024. All club members participate, and expenses are covered by the income generated by the raffle.
GARDEN THERAPY Members provide encouragement and resources for seniors who are interested in activities that include flowers, plants, or other natural elements. The primary objective of this committee is to put a smile on the faces of people who receive residential care at Atlantic Shores Rehab & Health Center in Millsboro, DE, and seniors who participate in activities at the CHEER Center at 35070 Pyle Center Rd, Frankford, DE 19945. We do this by sharing with them the joy of flower arranging and other skills related to gardening. We meet monthly except January (9:30 - 11:00 a.m.) at the scheduled facility on the Wednesday prior to our monthly GBTS meeting. Monthly schedule is published on the GBTS Website, under Announcements. Seventeen members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Members assemble container plants to be presented to new property owners at their home dedications during the fall and spring each year. Members welcome the new homeowners into their neighborhoods in Sussex County Delaware. Nine members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
HOSPICE TREE Members team together to design a theme for a holiday tree, and to create handmade decorations and decorative elements such as ornaments and wreaths. The decorated trees and wreaths are displayed at the Hospice of Delaware facility in Milford, DE, and create an uplifting environment for staff, families, and patients. The decorations and trees are sold by Hospice of DE in November each year, to raise funds. Eighteen members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
LORD BALTIMORE GARDENS Members team together to maintain a section of the gardens at Lord Baltimore Elementary School, 120 Atlantic Ave, Ocean View, DE, helping to beautify the school. Work sessions take place in the fall and spring each year. Eleven members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
OCEAN VIEW HISTORICAL SOCIETY Members work with the Ocean View Historical Society on their gardening needs, maintaining beds and planting flowers as needed for five buildings. GBTS members also make seasonal wreaths as required. This seasonal work enhances the grounds of the Historical Village of Ocean View, located at John West Park in Ocean View, and the Coastal Town Museum at 40 West Ave., Ocean View, DE. Five members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
SCHOLARSHIP Member works with Delaware Technical Community College in Sussex County, to provide financial assistance to a deserving horticulture student who meets the criteria set forth by the committee - economic need and a GPA of 3.5 or higher. One member participates, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
SOUTH COASTAL VILLAGE VOLUNTEERS Members create centerpieces for the fall event sponsored by SCVV, a volunteer group in Sussex County that is “helping older adults live independently.” One member participates, and SCVV reimburses the club for all associated expenses.
YOUTH PROGRAMS Members develop and present science lessons to children, supported by literature related to the topic, a craft or activity to reinforce the topic and journaling by the students. The goal is to awaken within each student an awareness and appreciation of his/her habitat through exploration, discovery and hands-on experiences that promote caring for and protection of the habitat. Activities take place at Lord Baltimore Elementary School, 120 Atlantic Ave, Ocean View, DE, once a month from October through June. Ten members participate, and funding is provided by the club’s fundraising efforts.
