Schuylerville Garden Club Celebrates 80 Years

SCHUYLERVILLE — The Schuylerville Garden Club celebrated their 80th Anniversary at their March monthly meeting. To commemorate the days of 1938 when the club was formed, members wore vintage clothing including hats, white gloves and even some fur stoles striving to wear what the original members might have worn to the first meetings. The celebration took place at the home of Marilyn Park with a covered dish lunch, following the early tradition of meeting in members’ homes.

The club was organized on March 24, 1938. There were 9 charter members with Clyde Maybee serving as founding president. The club became federated in 1951 as a member of the National Garden Clubs and New York State Federated Garden Clubs, District IV. The meetings were held on the second Wednesday of each month as they still are today. In the 1940s, according to the meeting minutes, Victory Gardens, defense bonds and war stamps were items discussed. “War stamps” were given as club prizes for winning a floral contest. The club now has 40 members from Schuylerville and beyond who all take an active part in meeting the goals of the club.

Through the years, the Schuylerville Garden Club has taken on many projects including village and town planting, an annual flower show that has been held since 1938. The club also holds a plant sale, maintains the herb garden at the Schuyler House and a Blue Star Memorial, holiday parties for residents of Schuylerville Manor, making holiday favors for Seniors, organizing a pre-school project and decorating Holiday wreaths that are hung on public buildings.

Donations given by the club go to Dollars for Scholars, Schuylerville Community Theatre Festival of Trees, DEC Camperships, Nature Conservancy, World Gardening, Schuylerville Food and Emergency Relief, a book for the local library, a library Family Outreach program and baskets of flowers from members’ gardens for the Schuylerville High School graduation.