The Charleston Magnolia Garden Club did it again in 2024: Another year with an April flower show following a Hills and Delta District meeting; another year of serving a sumptuous luncheon to Charleston and surrounding towns; another year on the historic square, bulb-planting with pansies to hold a place while we wait for spring in this new year.
Because of Charleston First Presbyterian Church, the CMGC hosted a district meeting that rocked most of the visitors on their heels. These friends of flowers marveled at the church’s stellar sanctuary and fellowship hall. Charleston’s mayor, Sedrick Smith, welcomed one and all and bragged on his own CMGC with the First Presbyterian Church’s pastor, Grant Gilliam, who protected the proceedings with an invocation from the heart. (By the way Martha Joe Venable and members were popping their vest buttons.) Special thanks to Mac Venable and other unknown- to-us members who were the behind-the-scenes heroes.
Following the district meeting with at least 100 in attendance, First Presbyterian graciously hosted our April flower show whose theme was “Growing in Our Community.”
This show paid homage to the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, where we find our strength and commitment to unity. Among those presenting entries were Sassy Mauldin, Mississippi garden club’s future state president, who won Designer’s Choice Award, while Carrie Rice, Carol Bullard, Celia Williamson, Allison Ashmore, Marline Carpenter, Amy Sherman and Annette Montgomery showed horticulture excellence. Flora Vance, Gay Lynn Haynes and Joy Montgomery were hard on their heels in other categories.
On Nov. 22, Charleston First Presbyterian was the gathering place for the annual luncheon, but CMGC members arrived the day before and created the fall flower arrangements that were the center of each table. The kitchen, always clean as a farm’s tilled field, was a flurry of activity with members like Mahaley Hames filling an ice chest and Celia Williamson checking jugs of tea in the refrigerator. Finally, the staff for serving began ladling and running orders and pouring tea for our grateful patrons, who every year raise the money for another year of flowers and shows and representing our town, Charleston.
We are aware that our community loves our efforts at offerings of beauty around the square, at the Meditation Garden on the grounds of the Wellness Center, and with the Charleston Elementary raised gardens. Please consider this missive as our love letter to the town of Charleston. We love y’all, too.
