Horticulture Club Constitution

Club Mission:

• To foster, promote, and encourage closer professional and social relationships between the faculty, students, and horticulture community
• To present current developments in horticulture, and to educate students on these changes in trends
• To Develop contacts and friendships within the horticulture community
• To promote horticultural interest within Virginia Tech, the community, and the Commonwealth of Virginia

What We Do:

The Hort Club exists to support our members, department, and local community.

For our members, we offer scholarships for outstanding participation within the club. We also provide many social events and outings during the year.

1. Ice Cream Social
   • We like to start our new year off right with a fun gathering featuring ice cream to give new members a chance to meet and greet. We encourage you to join us.
2. Horticulture Department Barbeque
   • Another way to get to know the students, faculty and staff. Held at Kentland in the fall.
3. Holiday Dinner
   • It’s a great way to close out the fall semester and say our goodbyes until the new year.
4. Chili Cook-Off
   • It is one of our traditions to have a chili cook-off at the beginning of spring semester. All members are welcome to participate and cook their own special chili recipes. Prizes for first second and third place chilies are awarded.
5. Spring Banquet
   • We celebrate the end of the year by having a spring banquet at the German Club. The night is filled with fun, food, and fulfillment. Scholarships are handed out and you never know just which faculty member gets roasted.

For our department, we provide monetary help for trips given by professors.

1. Fall Trip to New York
2. PLANET Competition
3. Spring Trip Down South

For our local community, we strive to make a difference in any way possible.

1. Adopt a Highway
   • The Hort Club has adopted a part of Glade Road. Twice a year we pick up trash along our two mile stretch of road. It has become tradition that all participants are treated to pizza at Backstreets afterwards.
2. Virginia Tech Horticulture Gardens
   • We work closely with the folks at the hort gardens to ensure our gardens meet their potential. Each year, we have a special project that we work on. In addition, the Hort Club sponsors summer internships for both the gardens and the greenhouses.

Annual Fundraisers:

1. Mum Sale
   • The Club sells chrysanthemums at the homecoming football game.
2. Spring Plant Sale
   • The Club’s major fundraiser is its annual plant sale. Preparations begin in the fall with the ordering of plants from local nurseries. We even get plants from local high school horticulture program and our own Floriculture Class. The event takes place two weekends before Tech’s graduation. We need all the help we can get and it is an excellent way to get some hands on experience!