Alva Review-Courier -

Mary Ann Crow hosted the monthly meeting of the Tulip Garden Club in her home on Nov. 9. Pumpkins, owls, fall leaves and matching tableware set the mood for an early Thanksgiving celebration. Members present were Genevieve Farris, Helen Janzen, Linda McCoy, Mary Ann Crow, April Ridgway, Li Brooks and Donna Rhodes.

Linda McCoy, president, called the meeting to order with members reading the “Collect.” Members responded to the roll call by telling if they had ever visited the Ouachita Forest. The minutes of the last meeting were read by April Ridgway, secretary, and approved. McCoy gave the treasurer’s report in Rhonda Field’s absence.

McCoy took up a collection of pennies for the Penny Pine project. The club’s stated goal is to raise $68 this year to purchase pines to be planted in the Ouachita Forest by collecting pennies at each meeting. McCoy urged that the horticultural report be completed in time to submit for the 3P’s project. The club members then discussed ways to meet the requirements of the state president’s project, “The 3 Ps – Planting, Promoting, and Participating.”

McCoy reported that Mary Ann Holman was requesting each club donate funds to sponsor flower schools. The members discussed hosting a flower show during the fall car show in Alva.

No action was taken on either topics. She also reported that the Plant America grant had been submitted ahead of the deadline.

The yearbook committee met on Oct. 20 and judged the two club books that had been submitted. The books were forwarded to the state chairman on Oct. 23 to be judged at the state level. The library committee reported that the displays had been updated. One has been decorated for Thanksgiving, and the other includes posters about garden club, contests, and the donated book, “Saved Seed.” The committee agreed to meet the first week of December to decorate the displays in the entrance of the library. Crow offered to bring her collection of village houses.

McCoy gave a report from the state board meeting. Donna Marsheck has updated EIN numbers for every state club, and is now managing the Oklahoma Gardener, handling subscriptions and advertising. McCoy gave a report from the Alva Garden Council meeting held on Oct. 7. That meeting involved planning for the upcoming state convention.

McCoy and all of the club members welcomed Li Brooks as to their club. McCoy suggested a work day for the downtown gardens, and members agreed to meet on Nov. 15 at 2 to clean up the dead foliage and plant bulbs. Members plan to pick up the hoses and sprinklers at the pyramid on that day as well. Donna Rhodes made a motion to select Sarah Eckhart’s fifth-grade class for the Adopt-A-Classroom project, and Crow seconded the motion. The motion was approved, and the club agreed to donate $25.

McCoy asked for volunteers to decorate a Christmas tree in the club’s room at the Cherokee Strip Museum during the first week of December. The club members then turned their thoughts to the annual Christmas party to be held on Dec. 14 at the Runnymede. Members volunteered to bring various menu items, their Petal Pal gifts, a gift to donate to Toys for Tots and canned goods for the food pantry.

McCoy gave an inspirational lesson on Penny Pines, a National Garden Club project. Oklahoma’s site for this project is the Ouachita National Forest which is the oldest national forest in the South.

The next meeting of the Tulip Garden Club will be on Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Runnymede. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.