The Spirit of the Woods Garden Club shows a “firm dedication” to the Manistee community.
Founded in 1937, the inaugural president of the club was Mrs. Wayne Hanson, who led from 1937 to 1939.
“Through our club activities, we foster an appreciation for the elegance of nature among both our community members and guests,” stated Beth Markowski, who is part of the garden club.
Today, the club comprises 49 members and is part of the
Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc.
and
National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Markowski recently responded to queries from the News Advocate through an email regarding why their club continues to be significant for the community nowadays.
When and where does the club convene according to the Manistee News Advocate?
MARKOWSKI: Our meetings occur every month from April to December. Typically, we convene at noon on the second Monday of each month at the Oak Grove Hospitality Center.
Our gatherings begin with lunch catered by a different group of club members each time. Afterward, we have either an informative session or engage in a practical activity.
MNA: How does the club support the local community?
MARKOWSKI: We cherish our collaboration with the
Armory Youth Project
(AYP) We organize activities for young people to cultivate a passion for nature and gardening. For instance, we take part in their sixth-grade orientation as well as spring break events and various other occasions.
AYP features elevated garden beds where we cultivate various crops. These freshly grown vegetables are utilized not only for culinary workshops hosted by AYP but also distributed primarily to local food banks. In the previous year, we donated around 250 pounds of produce. It’s immensely gratifying for us to offer healthy, locally sourced fruits and veggies to people within our community.
Every year, members of our garden club organize an event
work with young people at every location of the library
In our county, these are create-and-take events featuring an artistic element along with the planting of a flower.
Seven members of our gardening society wear
gowns that collectively form a “living flag.”
We take part in the Victorian Sleighbell Parade, the Forest Festival Parade, and Tight Lines for Troops.
We take part in enhancing our community’s aesthetics through various initiatives such as cultivating and removing weeds from flowerbeds at the Manistee County Medical Care Facility, Veterans Memorial Park garden, a Riverwalk garden, and a section of Blossom Boulevard.
We have set up both a Blue Star Memorial and one
Gold Star Memorial
To pay tribute to veterans and their families.
The previous year, we introduced a fresh initiative named
Grow a Row Manistee
in collaboration with
Manistee Food Accessibility Plan Group
The aim of this initiative is to motivate individuals within our community to grow additional produce and donate the surplus to local food banks in our county.
Our gardening group chooses one garden located within our county every month to acknowledge as
Garden of the Month.
The aim is to promote every form of gardening within our community.
For our Christmas event, we choose a nearby nonprofit organization. Participants buy goods or contribute funds to the selected charitable group. Some of the recent nonprofits we have supported include: Homeward Bound Animal Shelter, Blessings in a Backpack, and
Lighthouse Pregnancy Care Center
We annually gather contributions for Choices of Manistee County, an organization aiding survivors of domestic violence. Additionally, we raise funds to plant trees throughout the national forest system and to ensure access to clean drinking water in Latin American nations.
Every year, we host our Green Thumb Perennial plant sale in either spring or fall. Club members contribute plants from their own gardens, giving community participants the chance to buy them. During the event, our club’s members are available to help with any gardening inquiries you might have.
MNA: What makes the club significant for the local community?
MARKOWSKI: The mission of our club revolves around discovering, safeguarding, and cherishing the natural world’s splendor. We maintain a firm dedication to enhancing our local area. Through our initiatives, we foster an appreciation for nature among residents and guests alike within our community. Additionally, we provide educational opportunities about horticulture and ecological concerns for individuals of all ages from our neighborhood.
Our garden club extends an invitation to welcome newcomers into our fold. Joining us offers a wonderful chance for individuals to connect with like-minded folks. For those who are relatively new to our area, this proves particularly beneficial. Besides holding regular monthly gatherings, we organize various social events as well. Each month, we host a luncheon where we honor all members whose birthdays fall within that period. Additionally, we arrange outings such as guided walks through Pete’s Woods during peak wildflower season and visits to local lavender fields.
