Well, here we go again, Charleston. The summer is behind us and Charleston Magnolia Garden Club has begun planning the activities for the new growing season.
One activity was a meeting (96 attendees) in Grenada that recognized our small club. Charleston Magnolia Garden Club has again distinguished itself with awards in contributions that benefit our community and awards for national endeavors which all add up to a club that makes an impact on Mississippi and thus draws favorable attention to our little town.
The Hill and Delta District meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in Grenada, gave awards to our club by the handsful. Included in these awards were monetary donations to 12 Garden clubs of Mississippi; a Certificate of Merit for Staging a National Garden Clubs Patriotic Standard Flower Show (“Proud to be an American”) in May; a Certificate of Achievement as an Honor Roll Club in the Hills and Delta District; and, finally, a Certificate of Achievement for “Outstanding Garden Club of the Hills and Delta District,” second place.
All of these awards are given to us while we are standing among giants in the garden clubs of Mississippi. Allow me to put this information in the proper perspective: We have a small number of members while these other giants are hefty members of 200 or more.
We met at the First United Methodist Church in Grenada. Pat Young, Mississippi president of Garden Clubs, and Sassy Mauldin, a well-known person in Charleston and the second VP, reminded us of our contribution to make the “mundane and common” beautiful. The city manager of Grenada, Stan Amos, agreed that “we make good things happen.”
Just some of the “good things” include $10,000 in scholarships to MSU and the Blue Star Memorial, the first of its kind on a college campus, at MSU. These scholarships are coveted by a diverse group of students who will attend MSU and the memorial will be set on Oct. 18 in Starkville.
Here in Charleston, our club continues to add what we can to improve our surroundings. We have fund-raisers like our luncheon at the Presbyterian Church which allow us to travel all over the state as ambassadors of our town, participate in flower shows that garner us recognition, and some donations go to those scholarships mentioned earlier. We are honored to be the caregivers of the planters on the square, watering them all through the blistering hot summer; maintaining the meditation garden at the Wellness Center; beautifying the elementary school flower garden and entrances to Charleston, to name a few.
Doesn’t this active club sound interesting? Join us. We have had natural attrition and we welcome new members who love gardening and love Charleston and its betterment. Come dig in the dirt!
