-                                               MONTHLY PROGRAMS 

                                        The first Thursday of each month

                                                at the Presbyterian Church

                                      400 Bedford Road, Pleasantville, NY

                                                  Refreshments are served

October  5, 2023 - GENERAL MEETING

Program: Going Wild in Westchester - One Yard at a Time

Presenter: Carol Sommerfield

Carol Sommerfield is the founder and chair of the Ardsley Pollinator Pathway which she founded in 2021. Carol will discuss the successes and challenges she encountered during the past two years in developing the Ardsley Pollinator Pathway as she has tried to win hearts and minds. She will also advocate for a new aesthetic in our yards – one that celebrates biodiversity, promotes less lawn, supports all creatures, and rebuilds a healthy ecosystem – one yard at a time. Carol’s talk will provide inspiration for our club’s goal of growing Mt Pleasant’s pollinator pathway.

November  2, 2023  GENERAL MEETING

Program: Dolphin South 

Presenter: Giovanni Abbate

Giovanni Abbate, chef and owner of Dolphin South, will speak about the homemade Italian cuisine that he creates and serves at his restaurant in Pleasantville. Dolphin South and its affiliate, Blue Dolphin, are well known for their homemade fresh pasta, bread and desserts. Giovanni will talk about how he selects and uses seasonal produce in his menu. We will get a chance to taste a sample of his cooking.

January 4, 2024 GENERAL MEETING

Program: Plant Life Along the Nanny Hagen Brook 

Presenter: Michael Inglis & GG Kopilak

Pleasantville Garden Club member, Michael Inglis, will talk about the plant life he discovered along the Nanny Hagen Brook. He wrote about the flora and fauna of this area in his book, Woods and Water: Walking New York’s Nanny Hagen Brook. He will be joined by GG Kopilak, PGC member and talented artist, who illustrated the book using charming black & white illustrations. Michael and GG have presented the book at other venues so you may have already had the opportunity to hear their wonderful presentation. This presentation differs from those in that it has been prepared specifically for the Garden Club to discuss plant life along the brook. Michael is a member of Pleasantville’s Conservation Advisory Council. GG is a member of the Town of Mt. Pleasant’s Conservation Advisory Council. 

February 1, 2024  GENERAL MEETING

Program: “How to Have Bird-Friendly, Bird-Safe Properties”

Presenter: Anne Swaim

Anne Swaim is Executive Director of the Saw Mill River Audubon, a local chapter of National Audubon, based in Chappaqua. Anne works together with four staff and dozens of volunteers to maintain eight wildlife sanctuaries. She will share beautiful images, sounds and videos of Westchester birds across the seasons and in various county birding hotspots. She will provide tips on how to start birding and how to have bird-friendly, bird-safe properties whether residential, business or community-owned.

March  7, 2024  GENERAL MEETING

Program: The Art of Botanical Art – The Magic of Art & Science 

Presenter: Corinne Lapin-Cohen

Corinne Lapin-Cohen is a contemporary artist who specializes in Botanical Watercolors in addition to other art forms. She has a background in both the fine arts and science which makes her pictures both informative and artistically pleasing. Corinne will tell us about how she creates these beautiful pictures and how nature has served as her muse for 40 years. Corinne’s work has been exhibited in numerous arboretums, galleries and museums throughout the country. 

April  4, 2024 GENERAL MEETING

Program: Jazzing Up the Garden with Color, Contrast and Movement

Presenter: Karen Bussolini

Karen Bussolini is a widely published garden photographer, speaker, writer, and eco-friendly garden coach. She is now the Senior Horticultural Advisor at White Flower Farm. Karen has been a gardener as long as she can remember. She trained as a painter and had a career as an architectural photographer before turning her attention entirely to gardens. Karen will talk about how to jazz up your garden by explaining how to use color, texture, light-reflecting qualities, repetition, color echoes and other qualities, beginning with simple combinations and then progressing to more complex schemes.