December 2020: Again this year, a group of volunteers gathered at Chatham to collect greenery from the grounds and create wreaths. In addition to adorning the doors of the mansion, wreaths for the laundry and kitchen outbuildings were added as well as for the entrance to the walled garden. Joyce Childress, Carol Ann Campbell and Liz Phillips joined Board members Nancy Fahy, Beth Stenstrom and Carol Hyland for this annual undertaking. Gardener Scott Blake assisted in finding and cutting suitable greenery including holly, boxwood, and magnolia leaves. The variety of material made for a creative and varied collection of wreaths. The weather cooperated and the volunteers spent an enjoyable morning working in the picnic area behind the Summer House and then installing their creations. The finished wreaths add beauty and holiday spirit to the Chatham grounds.
December 2019: Again this year, the National Park Service gave Friends of Chatham permission to cut greens from the property to make wreaths for the exterior doors of the manor house. On December 6, volunteers Beth Stenstrom, Carol Ann Campbell, Joyce Childress and Carol Hyland gathered boxwood, magnolia, holly
and other greenery. Using grapevine bases as a starting point, they added greenery and then festive bows to fashion 5 unique wreaths and hung them on Chatham’s doors to welcome holiday guests.
For the first time this year, there was also a wreath workshop where a small number of Friends of Chatham members could fashion their own wreaths using greenery gathered at Chatham. Working with volunteers Beth Stenstrom and Carol Hyland, the six workshop attendees demonstrated masterful creativity, using different themes and approaches for
their wreaths. While each participant had access to the same materials and all of the final products were beautiful, they could not have been more different. The workshop was a fun and rewarding holiday activity.
