The Garden Club was organized by Beulah SMITH and Lorine MILLER on January 6, 1959, at a meeting at the schoolhouse. Officers elected were: Beulah SMITH, president; Betty MILLER, vice-president; Marian REYNOLDS, secretary-treasurer. Other members were Julia HENDERSON, Donna BEAR, Lola BRECKENRIDGE, Evelyn ENGLAND, Edna HUPP, Ella FOLTZ, Ola VerPLOEGH, Clara WILLIAMS, Lena RICHARDS, Ruthie PISTOLE, Ruth ENGLAND, Daisy FERBER, Nona GILES, Bertha ABARR, Ava OVERHOLTZER, Edith JOHNSON, Leona BEEN, Florine MILLER, Vey HOGUE, Marie TROXELL, Pearl MARRS, Eleanor SHIELDS, Dora JONES, Dorothy GRANT, and Marguerite GREENE.

The club continues [1983] to meet once a month. A program is presented petaining to flowers, gardens and landscaping. The club has held many local flower shows, gone on tours, and participated in district and state meetings.

In 1963, they sponsored a Junior Garden Club of 14 members with Ella FOX as leader, and later Florence LUPHER. The Junior Club set out evergreens near the Community Building. This group no longer exists.

The Garden Club landscaped a plot of ground, a gift from Claire and Jean HENDERSON, across the street west of the filling station and are caretakers where they have a picnic table and flowers for every season.

In 1982 the club has eleven members.

L-R: Charlotte STOLL, Cleone THOMPSON, Cleo CLOUGH, and Arvilla BEDIER.

SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. p. 121. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011