New Officers for the Men’s Garden Club

The Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville recently hosted a member meeting and barbecue dinner to celebrate its incoming officers for the next year and recognize the achievements of one of its past presidents.

The meeting was held at the Garden Club of Jacksonville on Tuesday, May 6.

Garden Club Executive Director Dr. Troy Mack introduced the club’s new officers – Bill Dorsheimer (president), Dave Savage (vice president), Courtland Hunter (treasurer) and Jim Lewis (secretary) – and new directors, Bill Huebner, Krista Clark, Sharon Basille, Beth Heyob, and Kelsey Stoble.

The event also recognized Past President Donn Elliott was awarded a Life Membership in recognition of his many contributions to the club including founding the Aloe Vera Project which has distributed over 4,000 aloe vera plants to cancer patients undergoing radiation treatments.

Established in 1945, the Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville is dedicated to education about plants and flowers, and it works to preserve natural plants while promoting awareness of native species. The club has been actively involved and has sponsored the Ortega Camellia Festival for two years and is now preparing for the 3rd annual event in 2026. This all-volunteer organization manages numerous community outreach programs, including the James Watson Horticultural Scholarship at the University of Florida, Boy Scouts of America Horticultural Projects, the Riverside Camellia Garden, the Duval County 4H Endowment at the University of Florida, and numerous educational presentations throughout the local community. Past President Walter Bryant recently spoke at Murray Hill, Wesconnett, and Maxville public libraries about the history and care of camellias to promote participation in the Camellia Festival and to offer advice and wisdom regarding the various varieties of these beautiful plants.

Organization membership is no longer exclusive to men, despite its name, and women have become an integral part of the membership since 2019.