Programs

Did you know that 90% of all living things are insects, and that one out of every four insects is a beetle?  Insects can be found in nearly every environment on the planet. They eat more plants than any animal on earth and are an essential source of food for many creatures.  Join us as amateur entomologist Rich Teper brings his vast store of knowledge and a considerable collection of creepy crawlies to our October meeting.  Examine specimens that Rich has been collecting since childhood as he answers our buggy questions and discusses those six-legged thingies, from the exotic to the mundane.

Rich has been drawn to science, and particularly to insects since he was a young boy, and his fascination with bugs has remained with him into adulthood.  Although Rich recently retired after 25 years serving with the Niles Fire Department, he is keeping very busy with his independent remodeling business.  Being the boss gives him a bit of flexibility to continue to add to his collection and to share his passion and knowledge with schools and organizations across the area.  This will be Rich’s first visit to our Club.

We hope you’ll join us as we explore floral designs for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Each piece will be arranged live – two for Thanksgiving and three for the Christmas Season.  All material and flowers will be explained in detail, with easy to understand tips and instructions.  There will also be time avaiabile for Q & A.  At the end of the Symposium, the designs will be raffled off to our members and guests.  Kathi promises to provide an entertaining and fun time.

Kathi has a degree in Horticulture from the University of Illinois and is a Certfied Landscape Architect. She has owned Kaleidoscope of Floral Design for almost 25 years and is versed on floral technique and design, as well as landscaping.  Kathi has taught several subjects for the Garden Club of Illniois’s Landscape Design School and has given floral presentations to many area clubs.  She also offers hands-on workshops on a variety of projects.  Kathi is a new presenter for our Club.

Mel Zaloudek will give us a show and tell of dozens of favorite household products based on true herbal medicine.  We will also learn some visual identification, cultural requirements and home usage of the many health-enhancing flowers, vegetables, and herbs from our garden.

Mel graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a BSA in Taxonomic Botany – the science that finds, identifies, describes, classifies, and names plants. After serving on the Triton College Horticultural Faculty for 20 years, he became an independent landscaping consultant. 

Joan and Kelsey arecoming to GCI from Ball Horticultural, the company that brought us Burpee Seeds, Wave Petunias andKnock-Out roses. Started by George J. Ball in 1905 as a wholesale cut flower operation, Ball now encompasses breeders, research and development teams, seed and vegetative producers, and distribution companies on six continents in 18 countries. What began as a row trial garden for seed varieties in 1933 now covers over 9 acres of display beds for annuals, perennials, cut flowers, andvegetables, including the newest plants from the industry’s leading breeders and marketers – a fabulous tapestry to be viewed by invite only.

Joan and Kelsey will bring a visual presentation of their spectacular planter designs, from petite to jaw-dropping, many of which contain the latest Ball products. Just in time for your spring planting planning, they will give us the insider’s info on container trends and new products that will be appearing in greenhouses near you.