History of Garden club remembered
RICES LANDING – Four women with 135 years of “dedication and commitment” to the Town and County Garden Club of Rices Landing, related some of their memories at the April meeting of the club.
Reflecting on the club’s activities, meetings and projects were Adelaide Guesman, a 20-year charter member who served the club from 1951-1971; Helen Barbor, who joined the club in 1972; Gert Sagosky, a 40-year member; and Carol Christen, who joined in 1981 and has been a member for 31 years.
Guesman was one of 18 members who organized the club in October of 1951.
In the early years, the monthly meetings were held in the homes of the members. As new members joined the club, the meetings were moved to Hewitt Presbyterian Church in Rices Landing.
The club soon developed an interest in community projects by planting trees and flowers at local churches and schools. In 1962 a commitment was made to landscape and maintain a triangle of ground at the entrance of the Rices Landing Borough. The first flower show was held in 1955.
In the 1980s, the club participated in the Beautification Conservation Program to remove litter. The club began presenting Beautification Awards to local homeowners and businesses commending them on the attractiveness of their yards. Birdfeeders were provided to local personal care homes.
The 1990s marked the beginning of several new projects: The planting of a community tree on Arbor Day, the Junior Garden Club was organized, bird sanctuary signs were placed in Rices Landing, and the club joined the Uniontown Area Garden Council, which was composed of clubs in Fayette and Greene county.
On July 28, 1990, the first Annual House Tour was held, an ongoing project, which supported the $1,000 scholarship project.
The club entered the new millennium by hosting its first Victorian Tea on April 16, 2000 to continue the scholarship fund, which is now supported by the annual Cookie Walk Luncheon in November.
On display were scrapbooks with photos of the numerous community projects that were developed by the members and many club awards and certificates of recognition that were awarded by the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. From the beginning, the club supported area, state and national projects, becoming a federated member in 1952.
On October 20, 2001, the club observed its 50th anniversary. Members continue to participate in club activities, gardening, beautification and conservation as they look forward to the club’s 65th anniversary in 2016.