Membership

Membership Benefits

Benefits to Your Garden Club As a Member of The Garden Club of New Jersey

Dear Friend,
The Garden Club of New Jersey (“GCNJ”) has played a significant role in helping to protect and conserve New Jersey’s natural resources, as well as encouraging civic and roadside beauty. Additionally, GCNJ offers scholarships for high school seniors and college students to promote interest in conservation of wildlife and the environment.

The GCNJ is a federation of Garden Clubs founded in 1925 and is a charter member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. The GCNJ serves over 4,000 members throughout the state.

We hope you will take this opportunity to join GCNJ and benefit by the following:

• Access to our recommended Program/Speaker List;
• Heightened publicity of your club through our website, resulting in increased membership;
• Posting of announcements for your club fundraisers (tours, flower shows and plant sales, etc.) on our website, free of charge;
• Obtain affordable club insurance;
• Guidance through the 501(c)(3) process, qualifying your club as a charitable organization;
• Advice in planning flower shows, and selecting qualified judges from our directory to judge your flower shows;
• Evaluation of your club projects for exclusive GCNJ awards;
• Borrow materials from our extensive list of Properties to aid in flower shows and other club projects;
• Purchase garden related supplies from “Club Sales”;
• Use of the GCNJ Headquarters, “Holly House” within the beautiful grounds of Rutgers Gardens for your club meeting once per year;
• Receipt of our quarterly newsletter… News Leaf;
• Access to our Directory of member garden clubs in New Jersey, including president’s contact information;
• Attend National, Regional and District Conferences and GCNJ state meetings;Attend GCNJ sponsored schools and workshops (for credit or non-credit). Past offerings have included:
  Flower Show School    |    Gardening Study School    |    Landscape Design School    |    Environmental Studies School    |    Symposiums (Floral Design)
• Attend state sponsored projects, field trips, workshops, meetings and tours.

An example of the programs GCNJ has offered in the past includes such subjects as: Youth, Environmental, Garden Education, Garden Therapy, Horticulture and Scholarships

GCNJ Insurance

ATTENTION CLUB PRESIDENTS

The Garden Club of New Jersey provides insurance for your club after the club has paid its membership dues and insurance fees. The insurance, brokered through Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and provided by Hartford Insurance Company is not an accident policy. It is a policy to cover negligence and includes the following:

1. Liability insurance for the members of your club.
2. Liability insurance for third party participants at club sanctioned functions.
3. Property insurance for Holly House.
4. Special events insurance.

Our liability coverage excludes the use of alcohol. Clubs may not sell, serve or provide alcohol at their functions. It also excludes athletic participants, which is especially important to keep in mind with the Junior Clubs. In addition, the policy provides for a cap on losses due to instances of certified terrorism. You must report the occurrence of any member or public incident to our agent at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., as soon as possible after the incident. Please have all facts of the incident available. Should there ever be a claim, the telephone number to report the claim is 800-327-3636.

A number of clubs have had questions concerning youth groups that they sponsor. As long as the Junior Clubs are acting on behalf of the Garden Club of New Jersey (fulfilling GCNJ goals and objectives) and have adult club sponsorship and adult club supervision, they are covered. It is recommended that at the beginning of each fiscal year in your club,a permission slip be signed by each parent or guardian. This allows the participation of all in your youth activities. You must also obtain permission slips for each off-premises trip and it is advisable to keep a youth roster with updated contacts and medical information, as necessary. The goal is to have our Junior Club leaders well prepared with information readily available for each child.

All club presidents should be in possession of their club’s Certificate of Insurance. If you do not have one, contact the insurance agent listed above. In case you should receive an “out of office” message, you can send an email to select_certificates@ajg.com . The Certificate may be copied. For specific questions concerning your club’s coverage or an unusual special event, you may also contact the insurance agent for your answers.

Insurance policies are very specific, and you must try to have needed information from our agent before an event or situation arises that may fall outside the parameters of our policy.

THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.
EXCLUSION – FUNGI, BACTERIA AND VIRUSES
This endorsement modifies insurance provided under the following:
BUSINESS LIABILITY COVERAGE FORM
OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS PROTECTIVE LIABILITY COVERAGE FORM
This insurance does not apply to:
1. Injury or damage arising out of or related to the presence of, suspected presence of, or exposure to:
a. Fungi, including but not limited to mold, mildew, and yeast;
b. Bacteria;
c. Viruses; or
d. Dust, spores, odors, particulates or byproducts, including but not limited to mycotoxins and endotoxins, resulting from any of the organisms listed in a., b., or c. above;
from any source whatsoever.
2. Any loss, cost or expense arising out of the testing for, monitoring of, cleaning up of, removal of, containment of, treatment of, detoxification of, neutralization of, remediation of, disposal of, or any other response to or assessment of, the effects of any of the items in 1.a., b., c. or d. above, from any source whatsoever.
However, this exclusion does not apply to “bodily injury” or “property damage” caused by the ingestion of food.