GUIDELINES FOR PROVISIONAL MEMBERS

Provisionals and their Sponsors will attend a required meeting prior to the first Members’ meeting in late June. They will learn the history of the Garden Club of Mount Desert, and the chairs of Open Garden Day and Conservation will discuss the responsibilities of Provisionals in these areas. In addition, the Chairs of the Flower Show Disciplines will introduce Provisionals to their obligations in Horticulture, Floral Design, and Photography. Provisionals will learn about the Club’s Civic Projects and required service work which include four hours of actual garden work at The Charlotte Rhoades Butterfly Garden or other Club supported activities. Other Committee Chairs will describe their work during this orientation to encourage Provisional’s interest in those areas. 

At the required meeting the Provisional Chair will provide each Provisional with pertinent GCA materials, website information with the GCMD Constitution and Bylaws, and activity sheets for the summer. In the case of significant extenuating circumstances preventing attendance, First Year Provisionals must request an excused absence in writing from the Provisional Chair and be responsible for obtaining all the information disseminated at the missed meeting. 

In mid-summer the Provisional Chair will contact any Committee Chairs and garden coordinators to ensure that all First Year Provisionals are fulfilling their required service work. If there are concerns about the performance of a particular Provisional, the Provisional Chair will contact the Provisional’s Sponsor. 

At the conclusion of the season, the Provisional Chair will collect activity sheets and will review them to ensure that all requirements have been completed for Active Membership in the GCMD. They will then be given to the Membership Chair and reviewed by the Membership Committee. At that time, the Provisional(s) will be presented to the Board for recommendation and election to Active Membership. Should there be any doubt about a Provisional’s eligibility to become an Active Member of the GCMD, she will be offered the choice of either becoming a Second Year Provisional or withdrawing from consideration as an Active Member. The election will be conducted at the fall GCMD Board meeting. The vote will be taken by secret ballot and election to Active Membership will require a simple majority of those Board members present. 

As stipulated in the Constitution and Bylaws the membership requirements “should include significant attachment to Mount Desert Island, with property ownership preferred, the ability to attend a minimum of three GCMD Members’ meetings each summer, the knowledge and appreciation of plants and flowers, an active interest in gardening, horticulture, and conservation, and a willingness to serve as an officer and on a committee, and to share in all aspects and work of the Club.” Sponsors should be contacted if there are significant concerns.