Bessie Carter (center) receives the 2006 Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement from Massie Medal Chairman Sarah Bass (left) and GCV President Deedy Bumgardner.

 

Massie Medal for Distinguished Achievement

by Sarah Bass, GCV Massie Medal Committee Chairman

The Rappahannock Valley Garden Club

 

The winner of the 2006 Massie Medal Award for Distinguished Achievement was presented to Bessie Bocock Carter at the Annual Meeting on May 10, 2006 in Charlottesville, VA.

 

Bessie has served on numerous committees and held most major offices in her own member club,

The James River Garden Club and is an honorary member of The Albemarle Garden Club.

 

Her Garden Club of Virginia involvement started with her concern for and interest in conservation issues.  She was appointed the chairman of the Conservation Committee and at the same time was active in the Piedmont Environmental Council.  Her involvement went beyond the Commonwealth

of Virginia when she chaired the Land Use and Preservation Committee and the National Affairs and Legislative Committee for the Garden Club of America.  Because of this passion, she was awarded the deLacy Gray Award for Conservation in 1991.

 

Her activities in The GCV continued -- chairing several other committees, being elected second Vice President and then President in 1998-2000. But she did not stop there. After her term as President she chaired the Long Range Planning Committee and later became the chairman of the Restoration Committee.  She reorganized the Restoration Slide Show and took it on tour around the state to members clubs and other civic organizations.  Her witty dialog made her famous throughout the state.

In her warm, friendly way she has promoted her interest in gardening, shared her talents in flower  arranging and amazed us all with her energy and generosity of spirit. She has opened her home numerous times for Historic Garden Week, member club meetings and GCV functions.

 

The Massie Medal was presented to the “Weed Queen” on her birthday.