Public sex, arson, and boozed-filled parties: Scandal hits tony Manhattan garden club as members revolt against 'dictator' new president
A tony gardening club in Manhattan
has been rocked by accusations of public sex, boozy parties, arson and
violence, it was revealed today.
The Roosevelt Island Garden Club has been in a state of turmoil since it elected a new president, April Ward, last fall.
'Since she came, oh my God, everybody’s fighting,' said Raphael Elbaz, a longtime garden member. 'It’s like the slave became the king.'
Ward, who asks to be called
'Madam President' at meetings, campaigned for the job to reform a group
she believed to be totally mismanaged.
She said group funds were spent on wild parties featuring grilling, bonfires, and resulting in fights and adultery, leading to at least one divorce.
'We have people in the club who are recovering alcoholics or addicts; they can’t be around people drinking,' she told the New York Times.
'You come to the garden, you expect it to be people gardening. And these people aren’t gardening. They’re having a party.'
'I was elected to get rid of that and get things done.'
The group's previous president, Ron Schuppert, disputed her characterizations of his term in office.
He said the 'sex noises' could be the result of full-throated bullfrogs in the garden.
'She’s drawing on a lot of hearsay that she has fantasized, as far as I can see,' he said
There are now two factions within the group and a 'coup' has been attempted against Ward.
At a meeting in March full members voted to get rid of her.
But Ward, who has consulted a lawyer over the matter, said no vote will be binding until it includes all paying members, full or not.
She has changed the password to the club’s Gmail account, which holds the member contact list, so her opponents cannot use it to broadcast their arguments.
The Roosevelt Island Garden Club has been in a state of turmoil since it elected a new president, April Ward, last fall.
'Since she came, oh my God, everybody’s fighting,' said Raphael Elbaz, a longtime garden member. 'It’s like the slave became the king.'
Scandal: Wild accusations of arson, public sex and booze-filled parties has rocked the Roosevelt Island Garden Club
She said group funds were spent on wild parties featuring grilling, bonfires, and resulting in fights and adultery, leading to at least one divorce.
'We have people in the club who are recovering alcoholics or addicts; they can’t be around people drinking,' she told the New York Times.
'You come to the garden, you expect it to be people gardening. And these people aren’t gardening. They’re having a party.'
'I was elected to get rid of that and get things done.'
The group's previous president, Ron Schuppert, disputed her characterizations of his term in office.
He said the 'sex noises' could be the result of full-throated bullfrogs in the garden.
'She’s drawing on a lot of hearsay that she has fantasized, as far as I can see,' he said
April Ward, the club's new president, said adultery between members has led to at least one divorce
At a meeting in March full members voted to get rid of her.
But Ward, who has consulted a lawyer over the matter, said no vote will be binding until it includes all paying members, full or not.
She has changed the password to the club’s Gmail account, which holds the member contact list, so her opponents cannot use it to broadcast their arguments.