10/12/2026
A bunch of us went out on a rainy Thursday night last week to come to a garden club meeting. We were eager to hear what our grant recipients had done with their grant money. We heard from three passionate gardeners and educators, starting with Stephanie Wade, teacher at Shawanoe Elementary. She showed slides that documented the transformation of a muddy yard into a raised-bed garden. Her students became enthusiastic gardeners, and the vegetables they planted fed them, their families and the community. Next we heard from Maggie who gave the flower beds at St. Joseph's Catholic Church a major makeover. She organized volunteers from St. Joe's garden club and with our grant, plants from her own garden and a lot labor she completed her project.
Our third presenter, Donna Cornett from Good Shepherd, supervised the planting of their large vegetable garden. The produce they grow is donated to the community including what they distribute through the Shawnee Community Center. She brought Good Shepherd senior Anna who talked about the project she led, a memorial garden for Pastor Jim White.
Nieman Elementary School also received a grant and sent slides of the work they had accomplished this year that will be completed in the spring. Grants are funded by the club's biennial garden tours.
