Anaconda Garden Club
President: Pat Darnell (563-0381)
Founded 50 years ago, the Anaconda Garden Club has become one of the most respected and active clubs in our community. Our 73 members participate in a variety of civic beautification projects as well as host various fundraising events each year to off set costs of our projects as well as to award two $1,000 scholarships to two high school graduates each year.
Our monthly meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month at noon at St. Mark's Parish Hall located directly behind the church at 601 Main St. A catered lunch precedes each meeting. Guests are always welcome and are certainly encouraged to join our club at any time of the year. Please call our president for further information. No gardening experience is necessary. What a great way to make new friends while sharing a common interest in gardening!
Summers are very busy as we plant and maintain flowers in the raised beds at Kennedy Common and the Chamber of Commerce as well as the east entrance of town. We also stock and maintain a variety of georgeous begonias in the newly restored Begonia House in Washoe Park.
Rather than copper pouring out of these ladles as was the case years ago (above), beautiful marigolds provide a new look at the east entrance to Anaconda. For the holidays, the ladles are transformed into beautiful lighted wreaths made of fresh pine boughs with a lighted tree in the center.
During the summer months, we gather together for picnics at Washoe Park and Goergetown lake where we enjoy socializing and potluck luncheons while in the midst of nature's beauty.
The first Saturday of June is our annual plant sale where we sell plants from two local nurseries along with plants grown by our members. This event has become very popular with the community and is a great fund-raiser for the club.
Giving back to the community is a vital part of our club. Every August members assist the community in hosting a BBQ [pictured below] for the Anaconda Job Corps as a way of thanking them for all the work they continue to do for Anaconda.
After the completion of a new rest stop on the outskirts of Anaconda, several members decided to host a coffee/cookies table for weary travelers. Not only did the travelers appreciate our goodies but we had a great time talking to them and offering travel information as well. [pictured above]
Prior to the Holiday Show in November, we have a lot of fun making a variety of crafts, sewing items and Christmas gifts at weekly workshops. Between the sales of these items, baked goods and a luncheon, we generally average around $2,500 - 3,000 each year.
Although we have one of the shortest summers
in Montana, one can find beautiful gardens throughout
Anaconda such as this one grown by member
Naomi Sullivan.
The community is very appreciative of the
hanging basket project we started six years ago.
We now have 59 baskets adorning antique lampposts
throughout the downtown and Kennedy Commons.
