Eugenia Chapter was a sponsor of Pelican Island Audubon Society‘s 6th Transforming Landscapes for a Sustainable Future held on January 18, 2025.
Over a dozen of our Chapter members were in attendance for a full day of education and networking with fellow native plant enthusiasts. Well known speakers shared information on native plant topics which focused on attracting birds and butterflies, ways to landscape to reduce lawn size and mowing, and pond planting methods to promote wildlife friendly retention areas.
Breaks in the program enabled attendees to interact with the speakers, shop for native plants from a great selection offered by Native Butterfly Flowers, pick up free plants from the PIAS display, and peruse the literature offered at several nonprofit display tables. Eugenia Chapter gives much thanks to our FNPS members, Carla and Charlie Flournoy, for hosting the Chapter’s table. We gave out educational literature, but the big hit was being able to pick up free coontie seeds, ready to germinate, from Charlie’s display.
Eugenia Chapter had an information distribution table at the Environmental Learning Center’s Lagoonapalooza (formerly Ecofest) on January 25, 2025. Chapter volunteers Carla and Charlie Flournoy and Fran Robinson cheerfully answered questions, promoted our Chapter, and gave out free literature to all who stopped by.
The following weekend, February 1 and 2, Eugenia Chapter had a nonprofit booth at Gardenfest! The Garden Club of Indian River County celebrated its 23rd year for this HUGE plant event. Attendance generally exceeds twenty thousand visitors. It was such a relief that the weather cooperated this year to enable the event to take up the full 2 days.
With that said, our Chapter booth had a steady stream of traffic. It is very encouraging to see how many people are interested in incorporating native plants into their home landscaping plans in one form or another.
Eugenia Chapter volunteers were available to distribute literature and answer questions from open to close each day. Thanks to all of those who cheerfully gave their time: Carolyn Aldhizer, Carla and Charlie Flournoy, Tim Glover, Carolyn Kline, David Martin, Peggy Perkins, Carol Thomas, and Peggy Thompson.
Please consider volunteering for one of our events when the “call for help” goes out. It is a great way to get to know people better, network with like-minded individuals, and feel good for being a contributor.
ircnativeplants.org 