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Honoring Past Presidents

  • OGC
  • May 26, 2020
  • 3 min read

Updated: Oct 19

by Louise Diracles, Historian


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With the start of a new decade, it is also a perfect time to take a look back at the presidents who have led us so well over the past 33 years! They have each presided over very successful fundraisers, local garden tours, improvements and enhancements to our community.


Many thanks to our presidents for their guidance and service to our club! Many thanks also to Louise Diracles, Historian, for her hard work in gathering these histories from our past presidents.


Below we have listed both highlights and complete summaries for each president. All of the complete summaries can be found on the website (click here).


Cathleen Sodos (2017 - 2019)


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  • Camino Pablo Median landscaping project came to fruition

  • 24 Freeway landscaping was improved with olive trees, and drought tolerant plantings

  • William McNamara, Exec Dir of Quarryhill Botanical Garden sponsored by OGC for GCA membership

  • Fundraiser “A Garden Stroll” Garden Tour raised funds toward Orinda Beautification

  • Community Meeting - “Fire Safe Landscaping” by Kate Frey

Margie Murphy (2015-2017)


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  • The Freeman Medal (Special Recommendation Award) awarded for the nomination of Aristolochia Californica by Vanessa Crews as the native plant of the year

  • To ensure the Camino Pablo median project became a reality, multiple meetings with the Orinda Planning Committee took place

  • Fundraiser “Tea in the Garden” Garden Tour raised funds for median project, beautification

  • Community Meeting - Art of Transforming” by OGC member Shari Bashin Sullivan

  • OGC attended Bay Visions program with 6 local Bay Area clubs; OGC also started participation in P4P

Janet Riley (2013-2015)


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  • Festive scarecrow displays, envisioned by Marty DeJonghe, were installed at downtown Orinda locations for the first time

  • A joint project with other Orinda garden clubs replaced 1960-era pots downtown with 40 glazed ones, and were planted with drought tolerant plants

  • Fundraiser “Orinda-in-Bloom” Garden tour raised funds for Camino Pablo medians

  • OGC in-house flower show “In Translation”

Carole Wolfman (2011-2013)


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  • Wreaths Around Orinda was conceived and implemented for the first time

  • Successful fundraising efforts to clean up Lake Cascade shoreline ("Walk about Lake Cascade") enabled overgrown vegetation to be removed, so that the beauty of the Cork Oaks could be admired again

  • Sylvia McLaughlin was named an honorary member for her dedication to saving the SF ​Bay; she also received the Zone XII Conservation Commendation

Heather Dunne (2009-2011)


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  • Cork Oak restoration project was conceived, and a committee formed

  • Joint flower show with Piedmont GC “In Concert”; 5-club GCA Flower Show in Carmel “California on the Cutting Edge” 

  • OGC sponsored Marin GC for GCA membership

  • Scholarship program introduced for Merritt College Landscape School students

  • OGC received William Penn Mott, Jr. Environmental award presented by Orinda Assoc. and the City of Orinda

Gina Field (2007-2009)


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  • Ruth Bancroft and Dan McDonnell become Honorary Members of OGC

  • 3500 tulip bulbs planted at Highway 24 off ramp

  • First joint project with garden clubs of Orinda, improving Camino Pablo medians with new trees and shrubs

  • Garden tour of Orinda Garden Club members’ Carmel vacation home gardens

  • Centennial Tree Project announced by GCA, to celebrate its 100th Anniversary in 2013


Joyce Nelson (2005-2007)


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  • Beautification projects at the Highway 24 offramp

  • Projects also at the Camino Sobrante triangle garden and Heather Farms Rose Garden

  • Club Flower Show:  “Fiesta”, at the Orinda Country Club

  • The first Honorary OGC member named:  Soho Sakai 

  • Funds raised to support Penny Pines


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