Her journey is rooted in passion and service.
Christy Linke’s journey to becoming the president of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC) is a testament to her passion, dedication and love for both horticulture and the community. A long-time member and leader of the Plant City Garden Club (PCGC), Linke will be installed as FFGC president at its April 10 meeting in Jacksonville.
Her story with the FFGC began more than a decade ago when she and her husband Larry retired to Plant City from New Jersey. In the early years of retirement, she found herself looking for ways to connect with her new community. Her first introduction to the club came when she was invited to a neighborhood social. “We didn’t know anyone in Plant City except Larry’s brother so we attended a Walden Lake social at Cassandra Banning’s home,” said Linke. “She asked me to join the club and from that day forward I haven’t looked back.”
In her time with the PCGC, she’s served in numerous leadership roles, including as president on multiple occasions. Her passion for service and leadership has only grown since. In fact, her involvement in the garden club has been so impactful that within just two years of joining, she was already leading the group.
Linke’s new role as president of the FFGC has been years in the making, following an intense six-year journey of leadership within her local garden club and the state federation. As she steps into this new leadership position, she’s eager to leave her mark on the organization, which has grown to encompass 157 garden clubs and nearly 12,000 members across Florida.
One of her primary goals during her two-year term is to bring more members into the FFGC fold, aiming to increase membership to 13,000 members. “We have such an amazing network of garden clubs throughout the state, and my goal is to strengthen that network, especially by focusing on programs that engage young people in gardening and environmental education,” Linke shared.
Her dedication to youth education is evident in her work with local schools, particularly Jackson Elementary in Plant City. She is passionate about fostering a love for gardening and being good stewards of the earth among children. Through FFGC’s junior gardening programs, she works with kids to teach them about plants, landscape design and conservation. From stick weaving to flower design, she enjoys the hands-on learning while blending environmental education with creativity. The FFGC also hosts Wekiva Youth Camp, an overnight environmental education program where volunteers instill a love, concern and desire to protect Florida’s flora and fauna, a program where Linke is a frequent volunteer.
The FFGC also works to promote environmental causes, including legislation focused on water rights and fighting fracking, two key issues within FFGC’s broader mission.
As she embarks on this new chapter, her leadership vision is centered on bringing generations together through gardening, floral design and environmental education. Her motto, “Sharing our knowledge plants the seeds of tomorrow,” perfectly encapsulates her belief that the knowledge passed down through the garden clubs will shape a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
Linke’s passion for gardening, education and community is truly contagious. Her leadership will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the FFGC and the thousands of Floridians who benefit from the programs, resources and projects she’s helping to lead.
