GSWA PRESS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release Sent July 8, 2002
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Garden Club of America Honors Julia Somers
On May 22, the Garden Club of America (GCA) presented Julia Somers, GSWA Executive Director, with a prestigious award for "her wise and inspiring leadership and outstanding contributions" in the field of conservation. The award was presented at the GCA’s bi-annual Zone IV meeting, which was held this year in Summit, and which included representatives from member clubs throughout the state of New Jersey. According to Janet Robertson of the Garden Club of Morristown, "Julia truly deserves this honor because of her tireless and inspiring work as an advocate for the environment."
Julia has been Executive Director of the Watershed Association since 1992. During Julia’s tenure, GSWA has grown from 400 to 2,200 members and funding has expanded ten-fold. In her letter nominating Julia for this award, Xandra van Bergen of the Garden Club of Morristown cited Julia’s commitment to environmental organizations and initiatives and said: "For those of us who cherish the natural beauty and environmental importance of the Great Swamp watershed area, it is hard to envision for the cause a more committed, articulate, inspiring, and effective leader."
Great Swamp Watershed Association was created in 1981 to protect the Great Swamp watershed basin. Celebrating more than 20 years as a non-profit organization, the Watershed Association relies solely on membership and contributions to protect the continued health of our watershed’s area. If you’re not already a member, become one today. For more information, call (973) 966-1900, or visit their website at
www.greatswamp.org.#######