Giving Rye: Meet the Rye Garden Club
Giving Rye is a new occasional feature highlighting non-profits and community groups in and around the City of Rye. Today meet Elisabeth Casey of the Rye Garden Club.
Your Name: Elisabeth Casey
Organization: Rye Garden Club
Your role: President
MyRye.com: Tell us your organization’s mission.
Casey: The purpose for which the Rye Garden Club (“RGC”) has been organized is to be a member club in good standing of the Garden Club of America (“GCA”) and to abide by its purpose, rules, requirements and regulations as set forth in the rules and policies of the GCA. In furtherance of this, the purpose of the RGC shall be to encourage and foster the love of gardening; to share the advantages of association by means of educational meetings, community activities and cooperation; to restore, improve and protect the environment through educational programs, activities, actions and financial support in the fields of civic improvement and conservation; and to participate in and sponsor flower shows which feature conservation, floral design, horticulture and photography exhibits.
How long have you operated in Rye?
Casey: Rye Garden Club was founded in 1915
What programming or work in Rye is the organization best known for?
Casey: RGC members have always put their hearts and hands into community improvement, with the current emphasis on beautifying public spaces in Rye.
Four times a year our members fill and refresh the pots along Purchase Street with seasonal plantings to mark the change of seasons.
We also decorate for the Holiday season, and hang wreaths at the Square House, Library, and City Hall. On Earth Day, we plant a tree (or pair) in Rye. Recent plantings have been at the Jay Heritage Center Gardens, and Rye Town Park.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt status?
Casey: Rye Garden Club is a 501(c)3 Organization.
Looking back across 2024, what were your organization’s top achievements?
Casey: This year, RGC was a Silver Sponsor of the ‘Light Up Rye’ initiative to light the trees on Purchase Street for the Winter months.
RGC has installed and helps maintain the gardens at the Square House, Knapp Island, Edith Read Sanctuary (pollinator garden installed in 2015 as our Centennial Gift to Rye) and Rye Rec facility.
RGC supports conservation education in the Rye Community, in 2023-4 bringing our ‘Sustainable Town USA’ exhibit to the Rye Country Day School, and Rye Free Reading Room. Historically we have led programs such as ‘Enviroscape’ and ‘Drip & Drop’ at local Nursery and Elementary Schools with Conservation Committee volunteers.
In 2024, we re-planted the Knapp Island garden, and refreshed the Square House Garden-further progress at the Square House will be made into 2025!
We work hand in hand supporting the missions of many other environmentally focused Rye organizations, to name a few, Jay Heritage Center, Rye Nature Center, Rye Sustainability Committee, Edith Read Sanctuary, Marshlands, and the Rye Historical Society (which runs both the Square House, and Knapp Archives).
Each year we invite the public to join one of our educational, program driven meetings. In November, 2024, we opened our meeting featuring Michael Hagen from the New York Botanical Garden, at the Jay Heritage Center. Periodically we host educational Flower Shows, open and free to the public, our most recent being ‘You’re the Top’ in September, 2023.
How can local residents support your organization?
Casey: Rye residents may support our mission by visiting our website, and learning more about our organization. If so moved to support our efforts, Donations may be made through the website. Membership is through an application process.
Thanks Elisabeth!
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