Where Gardens Grow, So Does Generosity: Spoon River Garden Club’s Impact
By: Elisa Puhala - Spoon River Garden Club
From the beginning of time, our great calling has been to sow seed, work the land, and harvest the bounty. Is it any wonder that so many people enjoy gardening? The desire has always been within us, embedded in our souls. If you enjoy growing flowers and plants in a garden, then you will undoubtedly enjoy the Spoon River Garden Club.
The club hosted its annual garden walk this year in July. Seven Canton homeowners graciously allowed the public to tour their beautiful gardens for a ticket price of $10. The walk was well attended by residents and individuals from neighboring towns. The money that was generated will be used to fund local charities and school programs, specifically the Salvation Army Christmas project, area schools’ STEM programs, and Spoon River College and Canton High School food banks.
In addition to the annual garden walk, the club holds a plant sale annually in May. Club members operate this sale to raise scholarship money for agriculture students in financial need at Spoon River College. Last year, a check for $2,000 was provided to SRC from the annual plant sale.
The current club president is Janice Reneau. Meetings are on the third Monday of every month, and the annual membership fee is only $10 per year. During cooler months, the meetings are held at Temple Baptist Church, located at 10 Van Dyke Drive in Canton. During the summer, members may volunteer to host a meeting at their home to share their gardens with the club. A social time begins at 5:30 p.m. with a potluck, snacks, and drinks provided by members, and the meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. Guest speakers frequently present on topics such as flower arranging, wreath making, flower drying, saving seeds, and general gardening tips.
If anyone is interested in attending a meeting or considering joining the group, you may call Janice Reneau at (309) 251-0335 or email spoonrivergardenclub@gmail.com.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
- Genesis 2:15
