The Community Gardens Award is for the most outstanding community garden project, providing green space, and/or opportunities for social gatherings, beautification, education, recreation or the growing of food. The winning category, CS-1(Bi), is for the Establishment of a new community garden while partnering with another organization (HIHA and HISID). This was truly a thrill and a tribute to the Club’s hard work and participation in its newly formed Community Garden started in 2017.

The Social Media/Website Award is for the most outstanding website or social media page promoting the sponsoring organization and NGC objectives www.holidayislandgardenclub.org. Holiday Island Garden Club is considered a “small club” category and won its first place awards in that category size.

Holiday Island Garden Club became a member of the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs in 2016, and thereby became an official member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. as well as the Northwest District of the AFGC and the Southwest District of NGC. HIGC has won several state awards but this is their first time to win Nationally.
Past Presidents Tara Lawson and B.J. Dennis accepted the awards at its recent October meeting in Holiday Island. Dennis is Administrator for the Holiday Island Community Garden and built the winning website.

Nancy Hargroves, President of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. presented Holiday Island Garden Club two First Place National Awards at its annual meeting in Philadelphia.

National Garden Clubs, Inc. boasts 5,000 Garden Clubs; 165,000 Garden Club Members 50 States and the National Capital Area; 60 National Affiliate Member Organizations; and 330 International Affiliate Member Organizations. Their website is http://www.gardenclub.org.

BJ Dennis received the 2017 Garden of the Year Award for the Holiday Island Community Garden.

Tara Lawson, 2017-2018 HI Garden Club president, received the Standard of Excellence award on behalf of the club in April, 2017 at State Convention in the Delta.

The 2016 Garden Glove Award was given to B.J. Dennis. B.J. moved to Holiday Island in the Spring of 2013 and immediately began work on her garden and landscaping. A year later she was invited to join the garden club while on the Trolley touring the Springs of Eureka Springs. It was the highlight of her year and she has jumped in with both feet (and hands) to further the efforts of the Club. Having been a member only six months, she helped with the Barn cleanup, the Parking Lot Project, attended every meeting, accepted a position on the Executive Board,  and shared her talents in and out of the garden with the members of the club in many ways.

Each year the President of the Holiday Island Garden Club selects a Member of the Year and presents them with the Garden Glove award.  The winner is announced at the November Holiday Party. There is no special criteria other than a devotion to the club, its purpose, its future, and being actively involved.

Tara Lawson was awarded the Garden Glove Award in 2015 for all of her hard work and dedication to the Holiday Island Garden Club.  She volunteered the club’s commitment to plant and maintain the #10 Tee Box at the Country Club; helped plant the maintain the Barn plants; chaired the parking lot fundraiser twice in one year; chaired the 20th Anniversary Party and  held the office of Alternate President/Secretary.

Each year the President of the Holiday Island Garden Club selects a Member of the Year and presents them with the Garden Glove award. The winner is announced at the November Holiday Party. There is no special criteria other than a devotion to the club, its purpose, its future, and being actively involved.

Dottie Hall was a founding member of the Garden Club and is a long-time supporter of Holiday Island’s Tree City Program. Over the the last 2 decades she has been the face of the Garden Club, working with the leaders of the community with that ever-present smile and determination. Members of the Garden Club applaud Dottie for her long time efforts for community beautification.

Each year the President of the Holiday Island Garden Club selects a Member of the Year and presents them with the Garden Glove award. The winner is announced at the November Holiday Party. There is no special criteria other than a devotion to the club, its purpose, its future, and being actively involved.

Margaret Scobee served for many years as the Chair of the Barn Landscape Beautification Project. It’s quite a task lining up the schedule for watering and weeding all summer and well into the fall. It takes true dedication to keep this service project alive and well.

Each year the President of the Holiday Island Garden Club selects a Member of the Year and presents them with the Garden Glove award. The winner is announced at the November Holiday Party. There is no special criteria other than a devotion to the club, its purpose, its future, and being actively involved.