Beach resident receives Berne Davis award
At a luncheon at the Royal Palm Yacht Club on April 10, the Garden Council of Fort Myers-Lee County honored long-time Fort Myers Beach resident Lois Gressman the inaugural Berne Davis Honorary Service Award. Lois was selected by a panel of judges from a number of outstanding women who participate in community service, special projects, and activities within their garden clubs or societies. An important consideration for the award is advancing the goals of the Garden Council and its numerous member clubs.
Berne Davis, a well-known Fort Myers philanthropist, has spent a lifetime promoting garden clubs at all levels. She has given great support to her community and has sponsored many events in the Arts, Education and Horticulture. Davis was on hand at the luncheon to present the award to Gressman personally.
Lois contributed to the stewardship of the land (a criterion for the award) by her very early involvement in the preservation of Matanzas Pass on Fort Myers Beach. She participated in programs and workshops as a Master gardener, landscape specialist and flower show judge. Lois conducted workshops for school children stressing conservation long before it was the trendy thing to do. Her landscape plan for the garden at the Welcome to Fort Myers Beach sign at the south end of the island is just one of many projects which have contributed to beautification of the community. Floral design (another of the award criterion) is Lois’ love as well as her art. She has won many blue ribbons and received the Judges Choice award at the Bell Tower Strolling Flower Show three years in a row.
The Berne Davis Award is a crystal vase which has the “Tree of Life” etched into the crystal.
“I’ve always been able to count on Lois and her husband, Harold, for any job that needed to be done,” said Davis. Lois and Harold, who have been married for 65 years and who are truly helpmates, were often in charge of staging events at local, state and even national flower shows. Lois was also a contributor to the Federated Garden Club Calendars, which feature photos of unique floral designs.
Lois is a current and very active member of both the Estero Island Garden Club and the Gulf Coast Garden Club of Bonita, of the Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council, and of the National Federated Garden Clubs.
Submitted by Becky Bodnar and Carol Lowery