The Plantation Garden Club met Wednesday, Dec. 11, at the festive home of Cindy and Jim Pennington near Vance.
With tin soldiers flanking the front door, the entry was ablaze with giant red glittering cone trees and a beautiful selection of cobalt blue McCartys pottery.
Guests entered carrying their bounty of baked goods and other bundles to be auctioned for our yearly fundraising event. As we toured the open rooms of festive decor, our hearts were warmed with the Christmas spirit.
Co-hostesses Cindy Ellis and Royanne Lewis served refreshments and beverages to further loosen the purse strings for our auction.
No members were injured in the bidding process and no cookies were thrown because we all are wanting to be invited back next year.
We all agree no one pulls out all the festive spirit like Cindy Pennington and her Mr. elf Jim along with daughter Anjanette Powers and sister Pam, who obviously worked days and days creating the beauty we so much enjoyed. Thank you from our hearts.
The Plantation Garden Club — you know them, headed off to the monthly garden club meeting, powered, painted and happy to see their friends. What you don’t see is the behind-the-scenes work that makes the gears of Sumner turn beautifully.
This is the season to call them elves, gathering at the town garage to unload the Christmas wreaths and spend considerable time fluffing out the branches so when hung they don’t look like they came out of a big dusty box.
And don’t forget the Christmas trees lining both sides of the bayou so that everyone for miles around can marvel at their beauty. The elves from the garden club equally split the cost of replacing those new tree lightings with the Sumner Civic Club, half last year and half this year.
The newest addition are those white lights outlining the downtown building roof tops which had a string missing in action due to roof replacement but between the elves, the city and the historical folks, there will be lights.
All this public work the folks get to enjoy, including the Bailey Sumner Park, had many, many hours of behind- the-scenes effort.
We have meetings, and officers come up with plans and vote, then the elves make phone calls to research costs and we are amazed when things seem to happen effortlessly, quietly overnight.
The fundraising depends on the local citizens whom generously give when we come knocking. In December, the club meets to auction baked goods and other items.
Y’all come see the lights. Drive-by is usually a nice, silent night in Sumner.
