GCGC Awards
Council Awards to be Presented in 2026
2025_2027_award_application
To be considered for an award, all must be at Kilgore-Lewis House no later than March 1, 2026. In fairness to all, there will be no exception to this deadline.
DEEP Award
(Doing Effective Ecological Programs)
Sponsor: Gilstrap Roofing and Siding $30
The DEEP award is awarded for club programs and/or club projects that support environmental concerns, i.e., support for pollinators and wildlife, protecting water and/or air quality, soil protection or improvements, etc.
Docent Award $30
Donor: Marguerite P. Warren
No application Necessary
This award if given to the club member that contributes the most hours as docent at the Kilgore-Lewis House from May 1 through April 30. The docent chairperson will maintain records for this award. Council officers are exempt from the award.
Garden Therapy Award
Sponsor: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs $30
This award is presented to an individual or club for sponsoring an outstanding program of therapy whereby people/individuals with disabilities participate and receive noteworthy benefits.
Fran Swanson Artistic Design Award
Sponsor: Fountain Inn Garden Club $25
This award is given to the club member winning the most blue ribbons in the Design Division of any Standard Flower Show.
Frances Pitts Award $30
Donor: Mary Reeves
This award is presented to the garden club winning the most blue ribbons in horticulture in a Standard Flower Show or Affiliated Special Shows. The award was donated by Mr. Pitts in honor of Mrs. Frances F. Pitts, a Past President of the Council.
Helen Fuseler Incentive Award
Sponsor: Westcliffe Garden Club $30
No application Required
This is awarded to the club with the greatest percentage of active membership at the Greenville Council of Garden Clubs’ annual Spring Luncheon.
Outstanding Educational Youth Program $30 Sponsor: Joe and Dana Thomason
This award is presented to the 3 clubs that exhibit outstanding creativity and dedication toward developing a program targeting the education of young gardeners (18 and under).
Kilgore-Lewis Grounds Maintenance Award $30
Sponsor: Sandra Hamann
Awarded to aa individual club in recognition of one of their members’ volunteer hours on the grounds of the Kilgore-Lewis House. Club Presidents will continue to keep track of individual volunteer hours and their member with the most number of volunteer hours will be put forward.
Stella Stowe Bowl
Sponsor: Clarice Wilson Garden Club
This bowl is awarded to a club member selected as the “Outstanding Garden Club Woman of the Year.” Candidates will be considered on the basic of their contributions over a period of years to an individual club and Council. Names may be submitted by a club or an individual to the Awards Chairperson for consideration. The final selection will be made by a panel of three judges appointed by the Awards Chairperson. Previous winners are ineligible. This silver award inscribed with “Club Woman of the Year” will be displayed at Council Headquarters.
Membership Incentive Award $30
Sponsors: Bobby and Alecia Elrod No application Required
This award will be given to the club with the highest percentage increase in membership as reported at the time of the New Member Reception in November.
Historic Restoration and Caring for Historic Sites $50
Sponsor: Reid and Margaret McCarter
Awarded to the club doing the most significant work at an historic site with historic landscape design, reconstruction of the site or interpretation of history at the site.
Tree Education Award $30
Sponsor: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs
This award is given to the club that does the best programming on Tree Education to their community: care of trees, value of trees, selection of trees and/or tree identification.
Tree Planting Award $30
Sponsor: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs
This award will be given to the club who plants the most trees in their community. (Trees planted at the GCGC Arboretum will not be counted.) The trees do not need to be planted as an Arbor Day Celebration, but this is encouraged. Native trees are encouraged and will be given extra consideration.
The Urban Arboretum Landscape Design Award $30
Sponsor: Karen Allen
This award is presented to a club for the most significant improvement to our headquarters’ grounds. Prior approval of all planting and/or projects must be obtained from the grounds/Arboretum Committee before the project may begin. The project may have started prior to the current year but must show major results with the award year. No club may receive this award more than two consecutive years. The project must show financial support the maintain the project.
President’s Report Awards $30 per level
Sponsor: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs
Clubs under 20 members Clubs of 30-44 members
Clubs of 20-29 members Clubs of 45 or more members
These awards are given to the garden clubs whose annual president’s report form/narrative of the club’s work for the year are judged most outstanding in areas of member recruitment, participation in GCGC, SAR, GCSC, NGC events, projects, and most outstanding individual club project.
Yearbook Awards $30 per level
Sponsor: Greenville Council of Garden Clubs, Inc.
Clubs under 20 members Clubs of 30-44 members
Clubs of 20-29 members Clubs of 45 or more members
These awards are given to the clubs whose yearbook receive the highest score on format, programs, project and club theme. The GCSC Scale of Points for Yearbook Judging is used in judging yearbooks. Yearbooks must be identical to those that club members receive. One yearbook will be submitted to the Awards Chairperson for judging and exhibition at GCGC headquarters. Yearbooks must be turned in by September 1, to be eligible for awards.