Winter Haven Student Is Finalist In National Competition

David Futch, a senior at Winter Haven High School, has been named one of eight finalists nationally for the American Museum of Natural History's Young Naturalist Award.

The award is a research-based essay contest for students in grades seven to 12 to promote participation and communication in science.

Futch is one of eight finalists in the 12th-grade category.

Futch's essay entry was based on his award-winning science and engineering fair project titled "Providing Habitat for Threatened Drymarchon corais couperi Utilizing Gopherus polyphemus Burrows."

The drymarchon corais is a threatened snake species found in the Southeastern United States, southern Texas and Mexico.

His recent research on the species examines the use of gopher burrows as a protective habitat for the snake.

That research earned him a Best of Show award in both the 2007 and 2008 Regional Science fairs and a recognition award in the zoology category at the 2007 State Science Fair in Fort Myers.

He also won an American Veterinary Association award for his study of the species at the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held in Albuquerque, N.M.

Futch will compete again with his drymarchon corais project at the both the 2008 State Science Fair and the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The State Science Fair will be held at The Lakeland Center from Wednesday through April 18 and the International Fair will be held in Atlanta from May 11-16.

Futch has researched the drymarchon for the past four years, primarily at Historic Bok Sanctuary in Lake Wales. His teacher at Winter Haven High is Rhea McKinney. He is the son of Steve and Debbie Futch.

Congratulations and best wishes to David in the state competition next week.

GARDEN CLUB COUNCIL

The Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs held its March meeting at the Garden Center on St. Patrick's Day. Elaine Duerline called the green- themed meeting to order and the hospitality was provided by the Winter Haven Garden Club.

Scottie Beasley led the devotion and pledge.

The program was given by Pat Gilder, executive director of Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful. Gilder was assisted by Cassie Jacoby with a Power Point presentation about Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful.

Some of the many programs it supports and directs are the Great American Clean-up, Earth Day, Project Eagle, school recycling programs and Clean It Up Winter Haven.

CAMELLIA GARDEN CLUB

Nancy Rathbun and Cissy Richardson were hostesses for last month's meeting of the Camellia Garden Club that was held at the Winter Haven Garden Center.

St. Patrick's Day was the theme of this meeting and included refreshments of raisin scones and Irish soda bread.

The meeting opened with devotions given by Phyllis Wilson, who read about how Easter's date is calculated.

Through her reading, the group discovered that this Easter on March 23 is the earliest in the lifetime of those living now and the next early Easter will occur March 22 in the year 2228.

That's 220 years from now.

She concluded her reading with an explanation of why the napkin that covered Jesus' head at the tomb was left folded. The reading indicated that is a sign of being unfinished and a return is expected.

Virginia Peavey presided at the meeting and members answered roll call by naming a native tree.

Suzanne Saca, chairwoman of Fun with Flowers for 2008, reported that her committee of Ginger Davis, Frances Asheim, Regina Dundore, Ping Lew, Cissy Richardson and Jean Spear had a meeting and that the event will be held in November, with Rita Hilton conducting the workshop.

Plans were also made for club members to make wreaths at the October meeting.

Sue Spurling reported that since the last meeting, she has contacted Inwood Elementary School regarding the start of a children's horticultural and gardening program and that the progress of this new project will continue to be reported.

It was also announced at this meeting that Louise Henry, a Camellia Garden Club member, had been honored as Salvation Army Volunteer of the Year.

The business meeting ended with fun, as Jean Spear and Reginia Dundore auctioned off the decorated baskets that each member brought to the meeting.

Contents of those baskets included parsley, orchids, cookies, cacti, seeds and various other plants.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

The Knights of Columbus celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage dinner last month. The event was sponsored by three Knights of Columbus groups: the Dr. Lawrence J. O'Rourke Council 4726, Dr. Lawrence J. O'Rourke Columbiettes Auxiliary 4726 and Charles Carroll of Carrollton Assembly 1500.

Grand Knight Jim Read and his cooking team of Doug Murray and Mike Carter prepared a dinner of corned beef and cabbage, which was eaten to music provided by Dan Farese.

Farese provide a selection of music most appropriate for the event, and was obliged to play everyone's special requests.

BOUQUET GARDEN CLUB

The Winter Haven Garden Center was the perfect setting for the recent meeting of the Bouquet Garden Club. Guest speaker Rita Hilton presented a program on preparing entries for a flower show.

The first was a functional table placement for two using hand-painted dishes from her mother's collection. The floral arrangement consisted of pink baby roses, purple heather and leather leaf. Napkins were rolled and secured with a bunch of grapes to accent the grape design on the dishes and the purple heather.

The second design used a large black wrought-iron upright container with a vine driftwood piece twined into it.

A large cecorpia leaf was added to set off with five full fugi mums.

In her third design, Hilton used the same materials as the previous design and added a black wrought-iron candle holder, topped with a tall candle covered with animal skin design. A black goblet was then added in its upright position.

In her fourth illustration, Hilton used a Wilma Palaskas pottery container that was fitted with a piece of root driftwood, six large cattails and orange lilies. That design was completed by the addition of a large blue plate with yellow and orange patterns on a stand and a reclining cobalt blue goblet and napkin.

In business, President Anice McElroy thanked hostesses Connie Eubank, Marge Pollum, Nanette Campbell, Betty Hoffman and Ann Hecker. Rita Bass was welcomed as a new member and guests attending were Carolyn McGraw and Rosemary Thomas.

On behalf of Keep Winter Haven Clean and Beautiful, Pat Gilder thanked the members of the Bouquet Garden Club for the generous donation they made to that organization and reminded them that Project Eagle is April 26.

It was announced that Diane Milla will present the program at the next meeting, which will entail an Ikebana theme titled "Dollybana."

SCHOLARSHIPS

Attention all Polk County students. The Junior League of Greater Winter Haven is offering scholarships to students who volunteer in the community.

All applications must be received by May 1.

Download a form from the Junior League Web site at www.jlgwh.com and send to, Junior League of Greater Winter Haven, P.O. Box 7161, Winter Haven, FL 33883-7161.

[ Send your news regarding civic groups, social clubs, religious organizations, special events and community news to Paula Stuart at pstuart@peoplepc.com or to The Ledger, 455 Sixth St. N.W., Winter Haven, FL 33881. Fax is 863-401-6999. Photos welcome.]