The Alpha Beta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International met at the Dwight Country Club on March 10.  The program, "Sprng Gardening," was presented by Sherri King, master gardener from Livingston County.

Sherri encouraged members to start gardening  in mid March before the weeds start coming.  She suggested walking around the yard and garden recalling what was planted last year and making a list of changes.  She stressed using Preen to prevent weeds.  Preen & Green is good on flower beds as it contains fertilizer.

For planting in pots, the gardener needs potting mix, not potting soil.  It is not necessary to throw out all the old potting mix.  Instead keep the mix in the bottom half of pot, work in compost, and add fresh potting mix.

Iris need full sun for at least 6 hours and good drainage.  The iris rhizome (thickened stem) should be planted in shallow soil with at least 3 rhizomes in a grouping.  Sherri concluded that "Gardening requires a lot of water, but most of it is in the form of perspiration."

The business meeting opened with a memorial service for Dorothy Coyne, a Delta Kappa Gamma member since 1967 and a retired teacher of English and Latin at Pontiac High School.  Janet Kilgus, a  former student, and Erma Hesterberg, a former teaching colleague, shared memories of Dorothy who died on November 11, 2011.  Also taking part were Ceremonies Chair Marcia Wahls (Lexington) and Kay Hammer (Fairbury).

President Ann Hoke (Forrest) encouraged members to pursue the nomination for 1^stVice President for 2012-14..  A member serving as 1^st Vice President is not required to step up to the presidency in the following biennium. She also announced 9 members will be attending the Lambda State Convention on April 20-22 at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale.

Legislation Chair Sara Kaufman and members discussed the qualifications of the candidates running in the primary election on March 20 in the 73^rd and 106^thRepresentative districts and in the 37^th and 53^rd Senate Districts.

Literacy Co-Chair Jan Masching (Dwight), said books for the Aunt Mary's Storybook Project have been delivered to the Illinois Department of Corrections in Dwight.

Personal Growth and Services Chair Lila McCulley (Minonk) passed out the Web site address (StillTasty.com) as it is a good source for determining the shelf life of foods and beverages.

The next meeting of the chapter will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, Fairbury, on Tuesday, April 24, at 5:30 pm. Renee Wenger will present the program on "Using Picture Books for Creative Writing Lessons.  Two recruitment grants will be awarded to two women, one in high school and one in college who plan to become teachers.  Also, grants to purchase teaching materials will be awarded to four non-tenured teachers.

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is an honor society that promotes the professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.  The Society has chapters in 17 countries and serves over 100,000 members by providing scholarships, leadership training, mentoring, and global networking opportunities for women.  For more information, visit the website at www.dkg.org or call Carol Hughes at 309-923-7370.

Pictured in photo:

Master Gardener Sherri King (center) explains how to properly plant iris bulbs in the spring to Sheryl Frantz of Cullom (left) and Kay Hammer (right).