Staff Reports
Flower Lane Garden Club in Columbus donated to Garland Brook Cemetery a white oak tree that it planted and was honored by the city for its beautification efforts.
Columbus Community Development Director Carl Malysz, representing Mayor Kristen Brown, thanked Flower Lane and the Garden Clubs of Indiana, read a proclamation that celebrated the many efforts of all gardeners in Columbus and proclaimed May 19 as Garden Club Day.
The club said it chose to plant an oak tree on Arbor Day because it provides benefits to more organisms over its lifetime, from microscopic critters to insects, birds, squirrels, and people for enjoyment in various ways.
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Amanda Klei, manager of Garland Brook, presented Flower Lane with a stone to place at the base of the tree to remember the date. Garland Brook donated the rock at no cost to the club, did the planting and mulching for the tree and will care for it.
About 30 people attended the ceremony on a sunny afternoon. Billie Brunsman, wearing a beautiful hat, read the club’s minutes. Katrina Vollmer, southeast district director for The Garden Clubs of Indiana, presented Flower Lane with several awards from the State convention.
Kris Medic, Purdue Extension Bartholomew County’s educator for agriculture, natural resources and community development, spoke about benefits of planting native trees. Sarah Nahmias, past president of The Garden Club of Indiana, spoke about how a tornado destroyed many old trees around her home and community in Greensburg several years ago. This prompted Nahmias to encourage many people around the state to plant more native plants and trees, she said.
