On Jan. 13, seventeen Tryon Garden Club members participated in a very successful strategic planning session held at FENCE. Working with professional facilitor Jan Woloson the group started by reviewing and evaluating the goals and accomplishments of the strategic plan developed in 2013. Completed actions include the green restrooms with living roof, the ticket booth, the bus turnaround, and secure bike rack at Pearson’s Falls. The Polk County Community Foundation was an important financial supporter of these improvements.

 

Participants then divided into three groups and focused their discussions on four areas: Pearson’s Falls, civic beautification, education, and club leadership and outreach. In the afternoon, the group reassembled and worked together to establish new goals and explore 2016 action plan projects.

 

An Organizational Strengthening and Board Planning Grant from the Polk County Community Foundation made this Tryon Garden Club strategic planning retreat possible.  This grant enabled a day of interacting and collaboration between the various Garden Club committees and board members. The action points that emerged include ways to encourage garden clubs, scouts, schools and churches to visit Pearson’s Falls, to better advertise the guided nature walks that are offered in spring and fall, and to promote the informative speakers at the monthly meetings held at FENCE. Creating a native plant garden with plant identification markers at the Depot Garden is also a priority.

 

Other interesting ideas are to collaborate with other garden clubs and the Master Gardeners for plant education and beautification in our downtown Tryon area, to encourage local residents to come to Pearson’s Falls with free admission days, and to consider trail and garden house improvements at Pearson’s Falls.

 

The Tryon Garden Club appreciates the continued support of the Polk County Community Foundation in making this strategic planning possible.

 

The Tryon Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to “foster awareness and appreciation of the natural world through preserving, protecting and treasuring Pearson’s Falls, contributing to the beautification of Tryon and educating members and the community.”

 

For those interested in the Tryon Garden Club, please contact Donna Southworth, President TGC, P.O. Box 245, Tryon, NC 28782. For more information on Pearson’s Falls contact the gatekeeper at Pearson’s Falls, 828-749-3031, 2748 Pearson’s Falls Road, Saluda, NC, or email info@pearsonsfalls.org. Pearson’s Falls is closed for the month of January.

–Submitted by Lucy Brannon