Staff Writer
The Caribou Garden Club, averaging 20 members, recently held its first meeting of the season, following the winter break. During this session, the Caribou group planned upcoming events for the 2008 season. With National Garden Week being June 1-7, the Caribou Garden Club plans to have their annual Plant Sale on Saturday, June 7, from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the Church of Christ, promoting garden club activities for the National Garden Week. The plant sale offers a variety of outdoor/indoor plants, all started by club members. The plants on sale will have no prices on them, as the club requests only donations. All proceeds from any club events stay in the state of Maine.
The Caribou Garden Club is active in many community projects throughout the year. The local group sponsors and tends the Blue Star Marker display at the Caribou Historical Museum on the Presque Isle Road, another project is a garden at the Collins Pond area and each year they do a Garden Beautification Program, garden tours and in 2006-2007 the club hosted the Caribou Garden Show at the Caribou Recreation Center.
Other programs offered through the local garden club include, flowers for shut-ins, floral programs presented at the Maine Veterans’ Home and the Caribou Rehab and Nursing Center and each year the group members sponsor a memorial magazine.
Co-presidents for the 2008 year are Cindy Blanchette and Mary Ellen Field. Both women encourage anyone who may be thinking about joining the local garden club, even those who know little or nothing about gardening, to check out the Caribou Garden Club. They all love flowers and enjoy swapping plants for new members to get them started or for other members to help them out.
Gardening is fun and relaxing, and as Blanchette noted, “Attend one of our meetings, it might just get a seed planted.”
Anyone interested in joining the Caribou Garden Club may contact any club member or stop by the Caribou Library during the week of June 1-7 for an application.
A schedule of meetings and program events are as follows:
May 12 — Painting a Terra Cotta Pot
June 9 — Viewing Gail Gagnon’s garden in Portage
July 14 — Fiesta Salad Supper and Social
August 11 — Tour top 7 gardens in Caribou
Sept.8 — Making Wind Chimes
Oct. 6 — Annual meeting and supper
Nov. 10 — Making holiday centerpieces demonstrated by Patty Corriveau at Phil’s Florist
Dec. 8 — Christmas party.
