The Dearborn Garden Club
“We are the caretakers . . . of our country, its air, land, forests, water and wildlife.”
Dearborn Garden Club P.O. Box 263 Cascade, MT 59421
The Dearborn Garden Club (DGC) was established in 1955 at Wolfe Creek, MT and became federated with the Montana Federation of Garden Clubs in 1958. Over the years the Club has moved north and now meets at the Fellowship Hall of the Cascade Methodist Church in Cascade, Montana on the third Wednesday of every month except for December when it’s the second Wednesday. We meet at 11:30 am. In January and February, we have no host luncheon get-to-gethers on the third Wednesday but without formal meetings. We usually have a “Show and Tell” at this time.
Our Club numbers around 37 members including 6 honorary members. One of these honorary members celebrated her 100th birthday in May and another celebrated her 99th birthday in May. Perhaps gardening adds years to one’s life!! Our Club is unique in that it is a real “country” club with members living along the I-15/Missouri River corridor from Craig to Great Falls (about 40 miles). Over 50% of our members go south from November 1 to May 15.
We are a busy club but do not host any flower shows or botanical design shows. For those events we join our sister clubs in Great Falls and work with the Great Falls Flower Growers and the Rainbow Club to help and participate in flower shows and design shows. Our club and the two clubs from Great Falls make up the Central District #5 of the Montana Federation of Garden Clubs.
The DGC has several ongoing civic/community projects:
Horticulturally: We plant, weed and water flowers at Joe’s Trail head; we weed and water the perennial “911 Garden” near the Trail head; we plant, weed and water the Friendship Garden across from the Senior Center; we plant 14 barrels around town in May and then sponsor “The Prettiest Barrel” for July, August and September; in Dec we decorate these same barrels with seasonal festive decorations and throughout the year we prune the boulevard trees along 1st St. North in Cascade.
Getting ready to plant the barrels, 2018
Friendship Garden with our stone sign, 2019
Watering “911 Garden”, 2018
Environmentally: we clean a 2 mile stretch of Old Highway 91 from the Hardy Creek exit on I-15 to the Hardy Creek Bridge twice yearly in an “Adopt A Highway” Program; the club is working on its 8th half acre of plantings in the Penny Pines Program which is a partnership program with the US Forest Service to plant seedlings of indigenous plants (not only pines) to forested areas damaged by insect, fire or natural disasters and the Club monitors about 22 bluebird boxes. We were recently asked to consider assuming care of a bluebird trail that was no longer being monitored. At about the same time, we received a donation of 40 new bluebird boxes. This Fall we shall certainly be busy putting these boxes up after the bluebirds have migrated.
This year’s crew and “loot”, 2019
Planting Joe’s trail Head 2019
Youth: The Club typically assists the Cascade Elementary School in planting a tree for Arbor Day around town. The DGC also presents a $1000 scholarship to a graduating Cascade High School Senior who plans on attending a trade school, vocational school or college in the US.
Charitable: we make a donation to a worthy organization/family in Montana and this year it went to the American Legion for the baseball field sprinkler system; annually a total of 4 baskets of food are donated to families at Thanksgiving and Christmas; we always do something for Make a Difference Day and this year we cleaned and prepped Joe’s Trail head for the winter, pruned the boulevard trees and cleaned the barrels; we sponsored a float for the Cascade Pro Rodeo in August, decorated by members; In December, members decorate a tree and provide a luncheon for residents of the only Senior Citizen Housing committee; we donate food to the Cascade Food Pantry monthly, we donate money for school supplies, new clothing at Christmas plus filled Christmas stockings which we make and fill. We give 35 stockings to the Great Falls Rescue Mission and 15 to the Children’s Receiving Home.
With the decorated tree at Quiet Day Manor 2018
Members with filled stockings 2018
New Projects: In 2017 to 2019 we contributed 80-woman hours to rehab the gardens framing our Blue Star Byway Marker at the Cascade Cemetery. More work will need to be done on the gardens this year due to severe winter damage. The new President’s Project is to purchase, erect and dedicate a Gold Star Byway Marker to complement our Blue Star Byway Marker. Blue star markers pay honor to our Armed Services while the Gold Star pays honor to their families.
DGC’s Blue Star Byway Marker, Cascade, MT 2019
We did it!
GOLD STAR DEDICATION CEREMONY
Submitted by Jo Lee Burman
On Sunday, September 27,2020, National Gold Star Mother’s and Family Day, the Dearborn Garden Club along with American Legion Post 133 dedicated the Gold Star Families Byway Marker. The ceremony took place at the Legion’s Hood-Mortag Memorial Wall. A crowd of about fifty attended the ceremony. The dedication was emceed by Colleen Mason, past President of the Dearborn Garden Club. The Ceremony began with an invocation given by Pastor Mark Nelsen of the Canyon Life Church and the presentation of colors by the Malmstrom Air Force Base Honor Color Guard. A history of the Gold Star Families Marker was given by Kathy Austin, MFGC Blue Star and Gold Star Families Marker Chairman. Lt. Col. Mike Milburn, retired USAF and former State Representative, gave a heartfelt tribute to the Gold Star Families. Leslie Stafford, a Gold Star daughter, unveiled the marker following the tribute. After the unveiling, Jo Lee Burman, Dearborn Garden Club President, dedicated the marker. Lewis Thoenes, Commander of the American Legion Post 133, accepted the Gold Star Families Marker for Post 133 and placed a wreath at the Marker. Father Cory Sticha, Priest at the Sacred Heart Church, gave the benediction. The ceremony ended with Mr. Jeff Skogley, Cascade High School music teacher, playing Taps. Refreshments followed at the Cascade Senior Center.
The Gold Star Memorial Byway Marker
Commander Lewis Thoenes, Post 133, accepting marker
Emcee Colleen Mason in background (Photo by Fred Shewman).
Mr. Jeff Skogley playing Taps (photo by Fred Shewman).
Club Programs: The Dearborn Garden Club has worked hard to provide excellent programs at our meetings. This past year we have had a panel of Master Gardeners answering a wide variety of horticultural questions and our 2 sister clubs were invited to attend, a District garden club member spoke on the aftermath of living through a forest fire; another District garden club member spoke on the care and planting of gladiolas, a DGC member presented a hands on activity of making a bee house, a local expert spoke on the geology of the Cascade area and another DGC member spoke on bats. July is our annual picnic and we will also tour a member’s gardens plus have a car tour of the geology of the area. August is our annual tour and this year we will tour Montana Wild and Ward 6 Edible Forest in Helena and then tour a private garden in Helena.
Making a Bee House Program, 2019
To fund all this activity, we sell Atlas garden gloves and Kitchenette brooms all year long plus we have also sold club T shirts and window decals for birds this year. We participate in the local newspaper sponsored rummage sale in June. A quilt raffle and a basket raffle are being planned to help fund the Gold Star Memorial.
Our June program was the changing of the guard when the 2019 to 2021 Board stepped down and the new Board assumed responsibility. The outgoing Board of Jo Lee Burman, President; Carol Brady, Vice President; Trish Vielleux, Secretary and Marian Rau, Treasurer with the guidance of Directors Helen Shewman, Kitty Wojtala, Donna Ahlert and Colleen Mason stepped aside for the new Board.
The new Board for 2019 to 2021: Co-Presidents; Carol Brady and Charlene Moug, Co- Vice Presidents; Sherri Walls and Claire Howel, Treasurer Marian Rau and Secretary Carolyn Stremcha. New Directors: Linda Hanson, Sharon Thoenes and Kitty Wojtala. Jo Lee Burman will serve on the board as past President. They will all serve until June of 2023.
New Board June 2021
Marian Rau, Treasurer, Carolyn Stremcha, Secretary, Claire Howell,
Co-Vice President and Carol Brady Co-President
If you are interested in attending a meeting, please call Charlene Moug at 406 231 1700 by noon on the Monday before the Wednesday meeting. Luncheon is $10 and meeting starts at 11:30 am with lunch following and then the program.
If you are interested in joining the Dearborn Garden Club, please call Kitty Wojtala at 406 750 3008 to discuss membership. Dues are $20 for the year. We meet at the Fellowship Hall of the Cascade Methodist Church. Ample parking is available and it is also handicapped accessible but call to get directions.
All are welcome at our meetings and activities.