The Tryon Garden Club has announced a new board of directors.

Susan Kelly is the new president. Vice presidents are Beth Laughridge and Wyndy Morehead. Donna Southworth is the secretary, and Kathy Wright, the treasurer. The executive board brings a combined dozen years of board experience to the table.

Additional board members are Gayle Lane, Heidi Shull, Gretchen Morris, Susan McNabb and outgoing president, Jane Templeton.

The new board is described by Vice President Laughridge as “amazing women who manage Pearson’s Falls with ‘preserve, protect and treasure’ in mind at all times.”

“This is not your mother’s garden club,” said Southworth, who’s beginning her third year as secretary. “For the most part, we’re running a business. And preserving a beautiful part of our world.”

The Tryon Garden Club owns and operates Pearson’s Falls and maintains Tryon’s Depot Garden as part of its mission to contribute to the beautification of Tryon.

The club celebrates its 85th anniversary this year with “Four Season’s of Creativity Inspired by Pearson’s Falls,” for which local artists have created work inspired by the falls, on of Polk County’s premier tourist attraction.

After a five-day exhibit of the art at Tryon Fine Arts Center, the celebration will culminate in a party and auction at TFAC on Aug. 10 from 6-9 p.m. called “Let it Sizzle, A Celebration of the Seasons.”

Proceeds from the event will fund “Learning to Grow… Growing to Learn,” a program designed to establish gardens in the four Polk County Elementary Schools in which second graders will partner with the Polk County High School occupational class to plant and maintain the gardens.

– article submitted by Susan McNabb