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As a member of the Garden Club of America, since 1914 The Garden Club of Allegheny County has been committed to its mission of promoting knowledge of horticulture, interest in conservation and historic preservation, environmental education and civic planning and planting programs throughout Allegheny County.

PIZZAZZ is the garden club's major fundraiser and is much more than a remarkable collection of unique boutiques from all over the country; the proceeds from PIZZAZZ are awarded as grants, over $600,000 to date, to support conservation and educational programs in every corner of the Pittsburgh community.

Please join us to celebrate our 15th PIZZAZZ on October 20-22, 2010 at the Fox Chapel Golf Club.

A Letter to Our Sponsors

May 12, 2010

Dear Friends of Pizzazz:

The Garden Club of Allegheny County (GCAC) is pleased to announce that Pizzazz 2010 will be held Oct. 20-22 at the Fox Chapel Golf Club. The event will feature a fabulous collection of distinctive boutiques from across the country, including perennial favorites as well as new vendors with unique offerings for all ages. This is truly Pittsburgh's most exciting shopping venue.

All Pizzazz proceeds go directly into GCAC's Community Trust Fund, our source of grants to support a wide variety of horticultural, environmental, conservation and civic programs throughout our region. In 2008, Pizzazz proceeds funded the landscape design portion of the master plan for Frick Park Environmental Center--a project of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. Proceeds from Pizzazz 2010 will be dedicated to the Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes, specifically the construction of a demonstration roof garden. Below you will find a list of many other projects that Pizzazz has helped support since its inception in 1995.

The generosity of our Benefactors, Patrons and Sponsors over the past 15 years has been responsible for a large portion of Pizzazz profits, and we are ever grateful. May we count on you again this year? All contributors at these levels, which are received by June 30, will be listed on our invitations and in the Pizzazz program.

We look forward to seeing you in October for another exciting Pizzazz! Spread the word about this exceptional shopping event and look for more details as we get closer to the date. We guarantee you will come away with some terrific finds and the knowledge that your dollars are supporting a host of vital projects in Pittsburgh and Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. If you would like to make your contribution online, please use the PayPal link on the left side of this page.

Thank you again for your continued commitment to Pizzazz and GCAC.
Pizzazz 2010 Chair Carol Weir and GCAC President Mary Barbour

Grants

Pizzazz is GCAC's major source of funds for the grants we make to horticultural and environmental projects around Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Westmoreland County.

• Schenley Plaza, Oakland -- plant material for the large planters to add seasonal color to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy's multi-purpose plaza.
• Student Conservation Association - summer conservation student crews for the Pittsburgh area.
• Garden Club of America's Garden History and Design Scholarship Fund at the Smithsonian Institute -- funding for college student scholarships.
• Camp Guyasuta, Sharpsburg -- The Boy Scouts of America project to build a bridge connecting their nature trails and their challenge course.
• The Allegheny Land Trust's (ALT) Sycamore Island Project, Allegheny River.
• Keynote speaker, Richard Louv, author of "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" during the International Urban Parks Conference in September 2008.
• The Osborne Trail and Park, Sewickley - native plantings for a woodland garden, where Osborne Elementary School students take guided nature walks in their "outdoor classroom."
• Powdermill Nature Reserve's Marsh Machine Seminar Series Certificate Program, Ligonier - a man-made wetland built within a greenhouse, that transforms wastewater from buildings into clean water.
• Phipps' Botany in Action Program - helps to build a greener world through botanical fieldwork, science-based conservation and community education about endangered plants and habitats.
• Edible Schoolyard through Grow Pittsburgh - durable supplies for two schools to begin gardens and fund an intern.
• Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania - a five-year project to grow trees of native provenance for the planned entrance corridor.
• Sewickley Riverfront Park Walnut Landing allee of elm trees--our joint project with Village Garden Club.
• Allegheny Commons Initiative's funds for master plan of area that surrounds historic fountain restoration.