Flower Power

Flowers and plants will bloom and be kept maintained in various parts of town thanks to the New Paltz Garden Club.

On Monday, March 19, the New Paltz Garden Club kick-started plans to maintain town gardens and planters during their annual pot luck dinner at 6 p.m. at Deyo Hall on Huguenot Street.

“Our goal is to stimulate interest in beautifying New Paltz’s surroundings, study all aspects of gardening and to promote conservation of natural resources,” Treasurer Misha Fredricks said.

Vice President Marilyn Minge said the groups always starts the year off with a pot luck dinner and a very short meeting.

“[This] gives our members a chance to mingle, enjoy each other’s company and share exciting plans for a new Garden Club season,” she said. “Luckily, most of our members are wonderful cooks. So, our buffet is always scrumptious.”

Every year, the club donates new gardening books and manages the plant booth at the Elting Library Fair fundraiser. Club members also pass around baskets for members to contribute to the World Gardening Organization.

In addition, New Paltz Garden Club gives a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who plans on pursuing a career in environmental science or agriculture.

“We donate to the World Gardening Organization because it strives to support women in other countries by teaching them better gardening and farming techniques for sustaining their communities and bettering their living conditions,” Club Secretary Karen Aspromonte said.

Minge said that for the past few years the World Gardening Organization has focused on building wells in Sudan. The New Paltz Garden Club has the lead in donations, winning many awards.

“I am told the average is about $700 a year, which is great for a small club,” Minge said.

Donations go to the Federated Garden Clubs of New York who distribute the funds. Last year, they collected money from garden clubs throughout New York and gave about $20,000 to World Gardening.

“We recognize how beautiful the SUNY campus is and the effort that students must make to help keep it as attractive as it is,” Minge said. “We would like to invite interested students and faculty and staff to consider joining our organization, as we work together to keep New Paltz a lovely place to live and learn.”

Club members meet on the third Monday of each month, from March until December.