Attending the Joint Meeting of the area garden clubs in Amite are from left: Linda Ryan, Maisie Parker, Shirley Pellichino, Paulette Hebert, Karen Nelson, Lee Collins, Linda Broussard, Jewel Jamal, Carolyn Schwebel, Leah Sadden, Mary Thornhill, Sylvia Dileo, Johanna Drago, Clara Houston, Juanita Pearson, Joy Peterson, Sheila Reno, Pat Benton, Phyllis Mire and Pat Graves all from the Hammond Garden Club.
Although February is a short month for our garden club, not only in the amount of days, but we don't hold our usual monthly meeting. It is always in February that the joint meeting of all the area garden clubs come together for well.....a "joint" meeting, each one taking a turn to hold it. It was hosted this year by the Stem and Stamen Club and was held at the Florida Parishes Arena in Amite.
It was a beautiful day, the facility was wonderful and the ladies did a fantastic job of decorating the tables, each done in a different theme from Easter, to St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, etc. There was a silent auction with many terrific things to bid on, gifts given away by the Options organization and for our entertainment enjoyment some Mardi Gras routines by "The Sugar Snap" dancers! And let me not forget to mention the delicious luncheon of a chicken salad croissant with a broccoli salad and dessert. Scrumptious luncheon to end a charming day.
One of our community projects is called Books and Library, committee chairperson Peggy Dunn, by which we donate book(s) to some needy library, mostly at different area schools. Everyone I'm sure remembers the recent floods we had and many books were lost because of it. One in particular was the Elementary School in Springfield.....not that their library flooded but children bring books home and many of their houses flooded including those borrowed books. So this years project went to refurbishing the children's lost books. The principal and teachers met us at their library and were so grateful for the replaced books we were able to supply. Just gives you that warm, cozy feeling to help out your neighbors especially when kids are involved.
Our next community project was supposed to be to plant a walnut tree, (replacing the one that perished) at the Post Office for Arbor Day. Originally it was scheduled in January but had to be cancelled because of inclement weather. So on a beautiful day in February we met with the Postmaster Richard Palisi who thankfully dug the hole for us and with Cub Scout Pack 170 Leader Barry Chance and his cub scouts soooo ready to get their hands into that dirt to help with the planting.
Mary Thornhill, committee chairperson, explained Arbor Day and why we plant trees on that occasion each year as the scouts stood listening in amazement, some raising their hands with answers and questions, about this celebration. Mary also brought extra trees for the scouts to take home and plant. Another part we play in our thankfulness for the wonderful community we live in.
On that same day we then traversed over to the African American Heritage Museum to help out with the Keep Hammond Beautiful organization which meets about 10 times a year, each time picking a particular area/neighborhood to clean/pick up trash. This day there were more volunteers than ever.....so great to see that many people interested in keeping their city spic and span clean.
Wow what a day.....what a month! Yes it is a short one, only 28 days but we certainly accomplished a lot of goodness in such a short time. I guess we could call it a community help month! Sure gives you a feeling of gratitude to be living where people give a hoot about their surroundings. Do you know how much fun it is to do rather dreary jobs when you do them with friends, someone to laugh with, even someone to get disgusted with about those that pitch things out of their car window? Did you know some very valuable things have been found as we stoop over to gather that trash, a diamond ring.....a completely immersed beach ball, you just wouldn't believe! Come out and lend a hand who knows what you might go home with!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI Garden Club Federation and the Deep South Region of the National Garden Clubs doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the people of Hammond, LA and God bless America!
by Linda Broussard she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club
It was a beautiful day, the facility was wonderful and the ladies did a fantastic job of decorating the tables, each done in a different theme from Easter, to St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, etc. There was a silent auction with many terrific things to bid on, gifts given away by the Options organization and for our entertainment enjoyment some Mardi Gras routines by "The Sugar Snap" dancers! And let me not forget to mention the delicious luncheon of a chicken salad croissant with a broccoli salad and dessert. Scrumptious luncheon to end a charming day.
One of our community projects is called Books and Library, committee chairperson Peggy Dunn, by which we donate book(s) to some needy library, mostly at different area schools. Everyone I'm sure remembers the recent floods we had and many books were lost because of it. One in particular was the Elementary School in Springfield.....not that their library flooded but children bring books home and many of their houses flooded including those borrowed books. So this years project went to refurbishing the children's lost books. The principal and teachers met us at their library and were so grateful for the replaced books we were able to supply. Just gives you that warm, cozy feeling to help out your neighbors especially when kids are involved.
Our next community project was supposed to be to plant a walnut tree, (replacing the one that perished) at the Post Office for Arbor Day. Originally it was scheduled in January but had to be cancelled because of inclement weather. So on a beautiful day in February we met with the Postmaster Richard Palisi who thankfully dug the hole for us and with Cub Scout Pack 170 Leader Barry Chance and his cub scouts soooo ready to get their hands into that dirt to help with the planting.
Mary Thornhill, committee chairperson, explained Arbor Day and why we plant trees on that occasion each year as the scouts stood listening in amazement, some raising their hands with answers and questions, about this celebration. Mary also brought extra trees for the scouts to take home and plant. Another part we play in our thankfulness for the wonderful community we live in.
On that same day we then traversed over to the African American Heritage Museum to help out with the Keep Hammond Beautiful organization which meets about 10 times a year, each time picking a particular area/neighborhood to clean/pick up trash. This day there were more volunteers than ever.....so great to see that many people interested in keeping their city spic and span clean.
Wow what a day.....what a month! Yes it is a short one, only 28 days but we certainly accomplished a lot of goodness in such a short time. I guess we could call it a community help month! Sure gives you a feeling of gratitude to be living where people give a hoot about their surroundings. Do you know how much fun it is to do rather dreary jobs when you do them with friends, someone to laugh with, even someone to get disgusted with about those that pitch things out of their car window? Did you know some very valuable things have been found as we stoop over to gather that trash, a diamond ring.....a completely immersed beach ball, you just wouldn't believe! Come out and lend a hand who knows what you might go home with!
The Hammond Garden Club is a proud member of the District VI Garden Club Federation and the Deep South Region of the National Garden Clubs doing our best to unify and beautify our homes, gardens, our city and our nation every day to the best of our ability. God bless the people of Hammond, LA and God bless America!
by Linda Broussard she is a member of the Hammond Garden Club
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