Ocean City — The Women’s Research Club of Ocean City recently installed new officers for 2008-2009. The new officers are: Ginny Scheetz, president; Martha Snellbaker, vice-president; Merry Wagner, second vice-president; Jane Friel, recording secretary; Karen Scanlon, corresponding secretary; and Dolly Rudloff, treasurer. One-year trustees are Barbara Slattery, Betty Dewees and Barbara Parsons. Two-year trustees are Mary Eggly and Mary Zuccarini.

The Women’s Research Club of Ocean City will celebrate its 89th anniversary in November with a luncheon at the Atlantic City Country Club. Since its founding in 1920, the club has committed itself to research in five areas: art, education, garden and conservation, literature and music. The club gives a scholarship to a senior at Ocean City High School each year honoring one of these areas. This year the scholarship will be bestowed to a student who is outstanding in literature.

The guest speaker at the May meeting was master gardener Rachel Boagotten, who spoke on “Creating a Backyard Habitat.” A retired vice-president of casino operations, Boagotten received her master gardener certificate from Rutgers University. The master gardener program lasts six months. Meeting one day each week, the gardeners study botany, biology and soils. After passing the master gardener test, each person must complete 85 hours of volunteer work. Boagotten is now president of the Atlantic County Master Gardeners. Interspersed among her delightful talk were antidotes, examples of popular books on birds, best garden plants and native alternatives to invasive plants.