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RIGC and Fall for Arts 2017:  "Alive and Growing"

9/24/2017

 
​When Jessica Murray of RIOC asked RIGC Outreach about hosting an activity for Fall for Arts this year, we answered with a tentative, "Yes!"  Now, we want to give a resounding and strong, "Thank you!' to RIOC for inviting and encouraging the Roosevelt Island Garden Club to participate in this festival again this year!

RIGC offered nature prints, chalk drawing, and a tree i.d. game to visitors at our stand.  It was a hot, brightly colored day of leaves, paints, and prints on paper!  In between strong gusts of wind, there were smiles alongside the trials, errors, and successes of printing.  True to Roosevelt Island community make up, we had participants of all ages with many languages, and welcomed returning families with children who made leaf prints last year.
 
Thanks so much to all who were able to pitch in: RIGC artists, Janet Linville and Peggy Roalf, for planning,set up, and advice on process; RIGC president, Neal Weissman, and the Longo family for being there through thick and thin; Erica Nazarova, RI teen, for helping all day and giving little ones patient advice for the prints; RI Girl Scouts, Emily, Victoria, and Lucia, for stepping in all afternoon; Girl Scout Leader, Aiesha Eleusizov, for 
showing up at clean up.

RIOC also suggested that RIGC might try another mural. We checked with Ali Schwayri, of the RI Tree Board, about the identifying tags on so many RI trees. Teen artist, Laura Dutilloy, stepped in to create a folk art inspired mural designed to highlight our diverse, local trees.  When five hours of direct sun on her back could no longer be ignored, Laura took a break and team GRIN: Jenna, Anthony, AJ Longo, and Julia Ferguson, finished off mural details. 
 
The mural, Alive and Growing, can be viewed at the entrance to Four Freedoms Park across from the Renwick Ruins.  Linden, Cherry, Ginkgo, Cottonwood, Maple, Elm and Oak! Take a look and learn about a few of our beautiful Island trees; the quiet, majestic neighbors that keep our air cleaner, our days cooler, and our lives calmer! Stay tuned for more tree connections.

Classical Musicians' Rehearsal Symphony Orchestra

9/10/2017

 
While we think about and send care to so many in such bad weather conditions around our nation, we are grateful for an audience of more than forty Roosevelt Islanders who are enjoying some of those special moments that make our neighborhood wonderful.

Today,
Sunday, Sept.10th, 2017, RIGC is hosting a concert of the Classical Musicians' Rehearsal Symphony Orchestra founded by Arlene Stock. A dozen professional classical musicians from NYC are performing live in the gardens on this beautiful September afternoon. Admission is free and open to the public. The audience is relaxing in chairs, strolling, or even working in the gardens while they listen. We hope to bring this group back again. They would also welcome new string musicians to their Thursday rehearsals. 

For more information, please contact rigardenclub@gmail.com.

Cornell Tech's Service Learning Course and RIGC

9/10/2017

 
Cornell Tech campus moved on to Roosevelt Island this summer and RIGC has been part of the welcoming committee.  As one of the many non-profits on Roosevelt Island, we are also unique in that we are an all volunteer organization.

We were honored to be invited by Jane Swanson, Cornell Tech Community Liaison, to connect with Professor Tapan Parikh in June as he began planning a new Service Learning course for Cornell Tech Graduate Students. Sande Elinson, Neal Weissman, and Julia Ferguson enjoyed this meeting and began the connection. Then in August, RIGC was invited to attend the opening reception along with other RI non-profit organizations like the Carter Burden Senior Center, Main Street Theatre, RIVAA gallery, RI Historical Society, Dr. Jack Resnick, and more.  Anthony Longo and Julia Ferguson were able to represent RIGC at this exciting reception hosted by RIVAA at the Art Gallery and enjoyed officially greeting Cornell Tech students for the first time.  

Three weeks later...we have already begun meeting and corresponding with three wonderful graduate students who are researching and exploring a service project for RIGC and RI. They will work to complete a green and also technology related project by the end of November.  More news soon as this exciting collaboration continues. 
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RIGC Bench Project: Update Our Garden Furniture 2017

9/6/2017

 
PictureExamples of high quality teak benches in "Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, France"
The RIGC Board works with members to upgrade and improve our gardens. One way to do this is to repair and replace aging garden furniture in common areas as well as place additional benches around our perimeter landscape beds.  During this 2017 season, we have been the fortunate recipients of some professional grade teak benches. We are  working with ADA requirements per Human Rights Commission recommendations as we want our pathways and our garden site to be accessible to all.  

The plan is to provide a high quality bench at the end of each pathway for visitors and members to relax and enjoy the gardens, without any temptation or need to enter member plots. These are the same benches found in botanical gardens and they are practical, long lasting and enhance the beauty of our gardens. Teak is superior for outdoor purposes and can last for many, many years with no special treatment other than washing it down once or twice a year. This wood will age to a beautiful, silvery gray color.


​Board members have spent considerable time working with online and community resources that provide very low cost or sometimes even "free for pick up" opportunities for new and used professional grade garden benches and common area tables. The process takes time, and can bring surprises and also disappointments. For example, you may find a new, barely used pair of benches or you may drive out of the city to an estate sale, only to discover that the benches are not in good shape. However, we have acquired six beautiful benches already and are working to find several more.  The Landscape Committee is guiding this project and chair, Johan Marfey, prepared the image below that shows the plan and progress as of September 1st.

RIGC is a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization that can accept donations. If you are interested in donating any amount towards this project, please contact the secretary at rigardenclub@gmail.com. 

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