Inside FNGLA

It has been on my FNGLA Bucket List to attend the annual Royal Palm Chapter meeting at Perkins Nursery and I finally made it earlier this month! Who wouldn’t want to go to an event offering swamp buggy rides, fishing from a dock, gator tail, swamp cabbage, famous LaBelle pies and the company of a great bunch of FNGLA members!

Debbie and Danny Perkins pull out all the stops when they host the Royal Palm chapter meeting at their nursery in LaBelle. This year was no exception, with approximately 140 people attending. Perkins Nursery specializes in growing natives from seeds and is known as the Saw Palmetto King. With more than 200 acres (55 acres in production) it required a swamp buggy to see all of the nursery and open flat lands. It’s not everyday I get to climb a ladder to get into a vehicle, but with 6′ tires, you literally have to “climb aboard” to get a ride in these jeeps-on-steroids.

This year FNGLA’s Outstanding Chapter Treasurer Award Recipient is John Schwind, treasurer of the Royal Palm Chapter. It was nice to see him in action handling registration and helping with the raffle>Not only is he very organized and competent but a very friendly greeter to everyone arriving at the meeting.

FNGLA President Hasley Beshears was a guest at this meeting, as was FNGLA CEO Ben Bolusky and Government Affairs Director Jim Spratt. Word has gotten out what a great meeting this is as other members from around the state were in attendance including FNGLA Board member Billy Butterfield, FNGLA Past President Dave Self and FNGLA Highlands/Heartland Chapter President Scott Kirouac.

Thanks to Debbie and Danny Perkins for hosting us and to the Royal Palm Chapter for a terrific meeting. We’ll be back!