Contributions were described at a July meeting
People may not be making the connection. They may see the colorful plantings at the circle, the flower-filled urns on Main Street, and the floral decorations at the Village Bandstand. But who’s responsible for these improvements? The public may not realize that it’s the Cornwall Garden Club.
The club met on a warm summer morning behind the Sands Ring Homestead. The historic building’s back yard is spacious and shaded by a stately tree. (Don’t ask me what kind! I was a city kid.)
More than 30 people attended the July 14 event, which started with a friendly competition. Four people used plants to decorate high-heeled ladies shoes. The members and their guests then voted for their favorite by dropping a ticket in a cup next to the shoe they liked best.
After the balloting, the guests settled in lawn chairs to hear brief summaries from the committee heads.
The purpose of the program was soon apparent. The club may not get the recognition it deserves, but what the organization really wants is a steady flow of new members. There were a few guests at the Wednesday morning gathering.
They got a complete view of the group’s outreach. In addition to the municipal areas mentioned above, the members maintain the garden behind the homestead; they organize projects for seniors and youngsters, they plant trees on Arbor Day, and they award a generous scholarship to a graduating high school senior.
How can they afford to do their activities and give away money? The answer is the annual plant sale on the Saturday morning before Mother’s Day. The revenue from the event supplements the modest $20 yearly membership fees.
At the conclusion of the recent outdoor meeting, I rushed back to the office to finish proofreading the newspaper. Everyone else stayed for refreshments.
The group will reconvene at Jones Farm at 11 a.m. on Aug. 19 for a presentation on cooking with garden vegetables. And on Sept. 21, there’s an evening meeting that’s open to everyone. The topic for discussion will be unwanted invaders of our native landscape.
Those interested in joining the Garden Club can contact the vice presidents in charge of membership: Lisa Morasse (LMM1206@aol.com or Eileen Wood (woodkeb@frontiernet.net).
