90th Anniversary Celebration

The November meeting was a celebration of our 90th Anniversary. The event acknowledged members celebrating 5-10-15-20-25-55 years of membership, plus recognition of board members and Life Members. We also celebrated the accomplishments of our organization thru the years. SCGC history and community service projects are deeply rooted in our community.

The celebration also included a city Proclamation presented by Mayor Jim Langfelder, Proclamations from Senators Andy Manar and John Cullerton, enjoying lovely table-scapes designed by our talented members and getting to know each other in a casual social setting.

Looking to the future we are committed to service, continued learning and collaborating. Our vision for tomorrow is filled with possibilities and to continue our mission “to help make Springfield a more beautiful community.”

NOVEMBER 2019

SCGC Upcoming Meetings

Dec. 2 Holiday Designs for the Home 9:15 AM Pleasant Nursery Jan. 6 Why Local Flowers?9:15 AM Stacy Shanks Feb. 3 Container Designs9:15 AM with Annuals Jerry Morgan

SPRINGFIELD CIVIC GARDEN CLUB

Mayor Langfelder proclaiming November 4th as Springfield Civic Garden Club day.

Photography by Tracy Dunn and Jennifer Justin

SCGC Past President’s with Mayor LangfelderPat Menzel and Sandy Fafoglia added plaids for a unique spin on this fall arrangement.

Springfield Civic Garden Club November Newsletter Page 2 of 6

Celebrating our members. . .

Honoring SCGC Life Members.

Table Host Pat Romanotto, seated at right, with members.

Barbara Olson and her arrangement she designed with mini pumpkins and pine cones.

Official proclamation documents signed, sealed and delivered.

Pat Fellman’s grand floral arrangement.

Cindy Spears and Peggy Mendenhall show off the clubs 90th anniversary t-shirts.

Photography by Tracy Dunn and Jennifer Justin

Mary O’Brien’s Christmas inspired table design.

Happy Holidays! This month was a special time to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of our Club. It was a time to celebrate, honor and share our history. The impact of our many Community Projects thru the years is impressive and has changed the city’s landscape by one tree and one plant at a time.

Congratulations to us, to all those pioneers and individuals before us for their foresight and dedication.

As we begin the holiday season I like to remember to keep the spirit of giving and family traditions in the fore-front. It is always a busy and hectic time. Keep in mind to not get caught up in the commercial enterprise, to keep your sight on what is important to you and your family.

Our club has wonderful community service projects for the holidays. Projects include the annual Festival of Trees; benefiting Memorial Hospital services, decorating the unique state historic site of Dana Thomas House and providing 400 holiday decorations to local organizations

that benefit children, seniors, the underprivileged and our veterans. Plus, we also support Lincoln Memorial Garden’s annual Holiday Market by creating one of a kind nature themed decorations. Support DTH, FOT, LMG at their upcoming Receptions, dates listed on Calendar.

It is a privilege to be a part of a civic group that believes in giving, volunteering and learning.

This past year has brought us all many service opportunities and as we plan for the new year we are committed to continue that focus, and even to expand in areas where there is a need.

Thank you for your service, for getting involved, for volunteering. Remember one person does make a difference, and as an organization of 300 we are a force.

My wish for you is health and happiness in the New Year and may all your gardens be weed-free, full of pollinators and magnificently beautiful.

Springfield Civic Garden Club November Newsletter Page 3 of 6

55 years (1964)Susan Gaule48 years (1973)Ada Lynn Shrewsbury45 years ( 1975)Donna Nelson41 years (1978)Margaret VanMeterBetty Wabel39 years (1980)David Robson38 years (1981)Ann Piper33 years (1986)Edie GloseckiJan GrantEloise VanFossan32 years (1987)Edna Schwartz31 years (1988)Kathleen LillyJudy Stephens

30 years (1989)Patty Lloyd29 years (1990)Shirley Davison28 years (1991)Elly BrandtJudith Marcy27 years (1992)Marilyn Egger26 years (1993)Laura DemickSally Noble25 years (1994)Barbara BolinKaren Grant20 years (1999)Charles BellSally CardiganJoan GardnerSharon GreenBilleye GriswoldJohn Griswold

Lavonne NoskaShirley PierceIrene Reischel15 years (2004)Effie BarberMeise FahslPat GleasonDorothy KingMarty MilliganGinny RichardsPat RomanottoSusan SmarjesseNancy Wilkinson10 years (2009)Dick AdorjanMargie BlazisAnnette Chinuge Karen HaganAnn Hamilton Marie HavensJan Sorenson HillMary Kay HinkleConnie Klutnick

Connie Locher-BussardPeggy MendenhallVivian NajimAlice NelleBarbara OlsonCarolyn RentfroMary SelinskiMargaret SeratiJean ShulerAleta SunleyPat VesselingDorothy Vono5 years (2014)Kathy AngeliDavid BarberSharon BookerRuth BluntFrancy CobernTracy DunnLiz FonsGreenviewMarlys KnoxKathy LaCamera

Cathy LocherFaye MazzeraAnita McDivittSherry MinerGeri NiemannCindy NixonAnn OttenPleasant NurseryCarolyn RandallSteve ReedMaria RobinsonCarol SobeckWendy StralowSue TinAnn VandiverNancy VonDeBurJim WessbecherKaye Wessbecher Allison WilliamsBeth WinningCarol Yancy

SCGC Anniversary Celebrations:

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SCGC Members Invited to LMG Holiday Market Preview PartyGarden Club members are cordially invited to the special preview party 4 – 7:00pm on Friday, Nov. 22, for LMG’s 2019 Holiday Market. Light refreshments (including wine and cider) will be served. The special holiday sale offerings include centerpieces, swags, wreaths and one-of-a-kind Christmas tree ornaments. • Nov. 22 : Holiday Market Preview Party

4 to 7 p.m. • Nov. 23 and 1-4 p.m. Nov. 24: Holiday Public

Market - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The sale is held in the LMG Nature Center, home to the Split Rail Shop, a year-round gift store offering everything from books, jewelry, toys and garden items to beautiful glass birdbaths and hand-crafted wind chimes. It is the perfect place to find unique items and stocking stuffers.

Get your family picture taken with Harriet Knudson’s sleigh: Would you like a holiday picture taken of you and your family with Harriet Knudson’s horse drawn sleigh? For the second year in a row, Lincoln Memorial Garden will be taking these photos during the Holiday Market weekend. Santa Claus will be on hand for photos, too! For more information and to schedule photos, please contact the Nature Center (529-1111).

Country Cupboard at LMG The Country Cupboard was manned, supplied and organized by Marilyn Okon, Patty Kilby and by the generous donations of goodies, cash and volunteer hours worked by SCGC’s wonderful members. We were blessed by beautiful weekend weather and the large crowd which attended. The total amount of money which was generated by all of your hard work was approximately $1,160.00. Thank you all for the amazing work you applied to this fundraiser for LMG!

The Scarecrow FactoryThe Scarecrow Factory was a complete hit with the approximately 2800 attendees of LMG’s Fall Festival. I want to thank Geri Neumann for dressing up like a scarecrow and walking the grounds drumming up business. I don’t think the LMG folks imagined what a wonderful addition this was to the other activities! We sold out of clothing both days of the festival. The total amount made was $942.00. That is a lot of $5.00 kits and $1.00 accessories! Please continue to look for children size jeans and cotton button-up shirts for next year. Again, thank you all for making this a huge success!

Geri Neumann dressed the part for the scarecrow factory.

It’s coming as our recent early snowfall warned. My list starts September 15, when the amaryllis and caladiums get cut back and brought in. Once reasonably dry, the pots are stored in a closet. I sure wish I had a basement or heated garage. The next chore on my list is bringing in the Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter cactus plus other indoor plants, that spend the summer on a baker’s rack outside.By October 15, I make sure the hoses are disconnected. Once you have a frozen spigot that burst, you are sure to remember. Speaking of water, I also remember to drain the rain barrel and turn over the bird baths.This year my “to do” list included getting dried allium, sea oats and black berry lilies to the LMG Fall Festival for the kids to use in fairy house construction. Since learning this year that it is best not to cut back annuals and perennials as they provide shelter for the pollinators, I’ve been much more selective about clearing out the garden. What does get cut or pulled up, goes in the compost bin. Over the years, that compost bin has been a wonderful source of beautiful, rich soil. The Juncos love to search for dropped seeds all winter.One thing that I’m sure to do is cut back the iris to about 4 – 6 inches. Iris are tough so don’t need to be covered with

leaves. In fact, to ward off the dreaded iris borer, it is best to cut the leaves and not cover plants in the winter.What I’m sure to cover with leaves is the fern bed. I’m reminded of where fern grow naturally. No one is around to rake the floor of the woods. Decomposing leaves, etc., add rich leaf mold and humus to the soil. The fern thrive.My two roses have very different winter needs. The floribunda just needs about 12 – 18 inches of mulch around the roots and cut back to 18 inches. The aggressive Canadian climber needs only to be trimmed back. It survived last winter’s deep cold with no problems. A friend sharpened my pruners, the tools are in the shed, and the patio furniture is covered. The pots are cleaned out except for one with lettuce by the back door. The parsley that survived after the swallowtail butterfly caterpillars ate their fill this past summer, came back beautifully. It is cut, rinsed and in the freezer for chicken dishes this winter. Sage was harvested by friends to be used for turkey stuffing. Rosemary is drying in a clump hanging from the kitchen baker’s rack. I also harvested the lavender as it goes very well in sugar cookies at Christmas. Hyacinth bulbs are in the refrigerator for forcing, waiting to be started for January blooms. The daffodils still need to go in the ground. It is getting late and very cold but I’ve planted them as late as mid-December – I just put a frozen bag of dirt over the bulbs with amazing result.My journal tells me of past winters when the winter birds arrived, when we had heavy snow falls and “glory be” when I spotted the first crocus peeping out of the ground in early March. Spring will come and I’m ready.Article by Mary Selinski

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Christmas at the Dana-Thomas HouseThis year there will be two “sneak previews” open houses for garden club members, their families, and friends. The first, on Thursday, December 5, is for everyone who has participated in the decorating. The second, on Friday, December 6, is for the general club membership. Each open house is from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Why two open houses? Last year’s open house was a grand success, with 150 guests. The fire marshal has recently set an occupancy limit of 70 people at one time in the Dana-Thomas House. The two open houses will enable us keep within the occupancy limit.This year’s theme is “Christmas, Prairie Style.” In keeping with Mr. Wright’s dictum of “bringing the outside in”, we’ve used lots of natural materials and native plants, including white birch logs, lotus pods, hydrangea, allium, and sumac. Thank you to everyone who has helped with this project—designers, decorators, tree preparers, organizers, those who provided materials, and creative geniuses. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at 301 East Lawrence!

How do you prepare your garden for winter?

Ada Lynn Shrewsbury creating her floral design at the Dana Thomas House.

November 2019www.SCGC-IL.orgPublished quarterly by Springfield Civic Garden Club, Inc. P.O. Box 9502 Springfield, IL. 62791-9502

Nov. 29-Dec 29 Winterland Holiday Zoo Lights: Stroll thru pathways of lights throughout the zoo, 5-9p.m. Check specific dates: http://www.springfieldparks.org/facilities/hensonrobinsonzoo/

Nov. 30, Dec. 4, 11, 18 Holiday Walk Tours at the Dana Thomas House from 5:15, 6:30 and 8p.m.

Dec. 15 Luminia Sunday: Dana Thomas House from 5-8p.m.

Nov 30-Dec 21 Old Capitol Holiday Walks: Wednesday 5-8p.m. Saturday 12-5p.m.

Dec. 7-22 Washington Park Botanical Garden Exhibit Hall and Conservatory will have their 46th Annual Winter Holiday Floral Show in the Conservatory M-F, 12 - 4p.m. Sat. & Sun. 12 - 5p.m. The Conservatory will be filled with 10 - 15 different types of poinsettias will be nestled amongst the decorated fresh evergreens and lush tropical foliage.

Dec. 8 Caroling at the Carillon 4 - 5p.m.: Sing holiday carols accompanied by the Carillon next to a roaring bonfire. Cookies and hot chocolate plus a special visit from Santa courtesy of the Rees Carillon Society.

Calendar of Events