|
About The Murrysville Garden ClubThe MGC was organized in 1952 and federated in 1955.
We are honored to have the participation of 40 Active Members, and the ongoing membership of 3 Associate Members, and 6 Lifetime Members. |
Our Vision
To enrich the community through sharing the benefits that gardening brings to our minds, our bodies and our environment.
Our Mission
Through the efforts of exceptional volunteers, we strive to: foster knowledge of horticulture and floral arranging, serve as stewards of our environment, and encourage civic beautification through interaction with community organizations consistent with the goals of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and the National Garden Club.
Join the Fun
We believe in creating beautiful gardens, sharing horticultural knowledge, building a strong community, teaching children to respect and care for nature, and developing life-long friendships. Our membership includes novice gardeners as well as the very experienced.
If you are interested in gardening and would like to meet others who share your interest, come join us. Let’s talk plants! Visitors are welcome at all our monthly general meetings. After attending three meetings, you can apply for membership. Dues are $35 per year. You’ll receive the monthly club newsletter and the quarterly state publication “Keystone Gardener”, and of course you will be entitled to participate in all functions and activities of the club. You automatically become a member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and the National Garden Clubs Inc.
If you are interested in gardening and would like to meet others who share your interest, come join us. Let’s talk plants! Visitors are welcome at all our monthly general meetings. After attending three meetings, you can apply for membership. Dues are $35 per year. You’ll receive the monthly club newsletter and the quarterly state publication “Keystone Gardener”, and of course you will be entitled to participate in all functions and activities of the club. You automatically become a member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and the National Garden Clubs Inc.
Serving Our Community
We visit third grade classrooms in the Franklin Regional School District as our “Earth Team in the Classroom” program. Students learn about gardening, nature and the environment and take home a plant or craft to reinforce the lesson. The club also sponsors summer nature lessons at the library for children from tots to elementary school students that culminate in a festive butterfly release. The flower pots at the library entrance are not only decorative, they are used to teach the kids about pollination.
The Garden Therapy Team visits a local nursing and assisted living facility to engage residents in garden-centered
program and activities. In addition to ever-popular “garden bingo” there are hands-on programs such as planting flowers and vegetables and, for example, a program on butterflies in the garden.
Scholarship Awards are provided to one or more outstanding high school senior or college students who major in horticulture, environmental science, or related fields.
The Garden Therapy Team visits a local nursing and assisted living facility to engage residents in garden-centered
program and activities. In addition to ever-popular “garden bingo” there are hands-on programs such as planting flowers and vegetables and, for example, a program on butterflies in the garden.
Scholarship Awards are provided to one or more outstanding high school senior or college students who major in horticulture, environmental science, or related fields.
Sharing Our Craft
Monthly programs feature expert speakers on horticulture, landscape design, floral arranging, and environmental issues. We offer occasional hands-on workshops at which members share gardening skills.
Flower shows are held every other year, and members are encouraged to enter floral designs and horticultural specimens for judging. Neighbors in the community are also invited to participate in the horticultural categories. Workshops prior to the show to give novices experience in floral design. Flower shows are open to the public.
Garden tours are held every other year to showcase outstanding local gardens.
Members make occasional field trips to botanical gardens and horticultural events in the tri-state area. These often include shopping in the nursery and socializing over a pleasant lunch out.
At our annual plant sale, we share club members’ perennial plants with the community at reasonable prices and sell annual flowers and Mothers’ Day baskets. Profits fund scholarships and supplement club operational expenses.
Flower shows are held every other year, and members are encouraged to enter floral designs and horticultural specimens for judging. Neighbors in the community are also invited to participate in the horticultural categories. Workshops prior to the show to give novices experience in floral design. Flower shows are open to the public.
Garden tours are held every other year to showcase outstanding local gardens.
Members make occasional field trips to botanical gardens and horticultural events in the tri-state area. These often include shopping in the nursery and socializing over a pleasant lunch out.
At our annual plant sale, we share club members’ perennial plants with the community at reasonable prices and sell annual flowers and Mothers’ Day baskets. Profits fund scholarships and supplement club operational expenses.
Caring For The Earth
Our gardens refresh our spirits and allow us to connect with nature by providing healthy habitats for birds and pollinators. We support soil health by composting and minimizing use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. As we have learned more and more about the harmful effects of single use plastics on the biosphere, we advocate for Reducing, Reusing, Recycling
through personal example and seeking products that avoid plastic packaging.
In 2024, leadership of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania is encouraging responsible disposal of plastic waste and we are currently developing programs in this area to carry out throughout the year.
through personal example and seeking products that avoid plastic packaging.
In 2024, leadership of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania is encouraging responsible disposal of plastic waste and we are currently developing programs in this area to carry out throughout the year.
Affiliations
Member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Central Atlantic Region, Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania District VII
Contributing Member of Westmoreland Conservancy, Westmoreland County Food Bank, National Disaster Fund through GCFP, GCFP Penny Pines
Contributing Member of Westmoreland Conservancy, Westmoreland County Food Bank, National Disaster Fund through GCFP, GCFP Penny Pines
Murrysville Garden Club Officers
|
Presidents
Joanne Murray Vice President Valerie Wilson Recording Secretary Camille Erb |
Corresponding Secretary
Jackie Kozbelt Treasurer Mary Ann Artman Assistant Treasurer Judy Kosslow |
Parliamentarian
Valerie Wilson Memorials Barbara Cseh Chaplain Helen Wolfe |
Our Legacy
Murrysville Garden Club was started in 1952 by Anna Cotter (1900-1995), who served as its first president. Anna had earned a degree in agriculture from Penn State University and she was instrumental in forming the Pittsburgh Rose Society.
The garden club of fifty women held a flower show in the fall of their first year, and has been gardening energetically ever since.
My Memories of Anna Cotter | by Janet Russell
We moved here from Columbus, Ohio in December of 1967. Several months later, I met Theresa Cerra, who convinced me to join the Murrysville Garden Club as she had done. She had moved here from Pittsburgh several months before we did. As you might surmise - that’s how I became acquainted with Anna.
She amazed me. She knew everything about the town and the club and a heck of a lot about the members. As I came to know her better, she would ask me to get involved with the things she was interested in. At that time, Murrysville was called Franklin Township. Several years after I came here, she introduced a ballot for the general public to vote on to have the town named Murrysville officially. I helped by standing outside the polls and asking people to vote for it. It did pass - thus we are Murrysville. There really wasn’t much Anna didn’t know how to do. However, tact was not her forte.
She certainly gained my respect because of her knowledge and her interest in improving anything she could. My youngest son, Jeff, was about 5 when she met him and took a decided interest in him. And the feeling was mutual. He liked her too. She fostered in him the love of plants, which continues to this day. One day she gave him a bunch of the hardy cactus plants she had - and he was hooked. He loved them, and that pleased her greatly. I was later told that she was always partial to boys - probably because she had a son, and the fact that she wasn’t a terribly feminine person. She didn’t like frivolous things or people. Sometimes at club, she made that perfectly clear. As I said, tact was not an asset that she enjoyed.
She had started the Rose Society and the Mum Society in Pittsburgh long before I met her. And, of course, our garden club, too. She got me involved in Communities, Inc which was in charge of Haymaker Park. She had worked on that for many years and I think she needed a break. I was on the board for many years and Bette Hoover was a fine President. Actually, I stayed until the FAAA became heavily involved and to all intents and purposes, simply took over and made it their organization. Every year we applied to the United Way for funds. When they insisted on not being truthful in their applications, I left the group for the good of the garden club, of which I was the representative. I feared legal action (which was entirely possible) and wanted to spare us any problems.
One year, I helped Anna plant miniature roses all along the sides of the ball field. They flourished and were lovely. Several years ago, I saw men pulling all of them out. It was very sad to me. I’m glad Anna wasn’t here to see that. However, if she were here, they would have certainly been aware of her anger!
She had taken responsibility for general maintenance of the building. Many times I found her under the sink in the kitchen, performing as a plumber. At that time the Women’s Club (which she had also begun) was responsible for the care of the building, and when anything went wrong, she was the one they called. Another time I was supposed to meet her there, but couldn’t find her.I saw her car - but no Anna. Finally, I resorted to yelling her name. Actually, I was getting a little scared about her wellbeing, but then I heard her respond. She was up on the roof - repairing it! I was relieved and surprised, too. On other occasions, she would repair the toilets that had an outside access. We assumed kids were the culprits who regularly stopped up the toilets with paper and junk. She used a snake and made pretty quick work of it.
She and the Women’s Club got to the point where they lost affection for each other. At one time, she had a terrible argument with them. Actually, Anna was kind of a work horse for them. When the plumbing went bad, she fixed it. And the same with the heating, the plantings, the roof and everything else. I always felt, that even though she was contankerous, they really didn’t show her the appreciation that she deserved. The Women’s Club was also in charge of the library, which was housed in the community building. They saw to the kinds of books that were made available, subject matter, etc. Well, for many years the Garden Club would buy lovely gardening books and donate them to the library. However, when we found that they simply threw some of them away, she (and many others) were livid, and at one of the Women’s Club meeting, she really let them know. Apparently they had quite a fight, which was to be continued privately at a later date. Guess who she asked to attend that meeting with her - ME. It was something I sure didn’t want any part of, but I went. Anna told them we worked very hard for the money to buy the books that they discarded (TRUE) and the least they could do was to offer them to us if they wanted to be rid of them. But she had been very blunt, and there was another woman in Women’s Club just as blunt and tactless as Anna, so as far as I was concerned, I didn’t stand a chance of creating any kind of reconciliation. I was so glad when that afternoon was over! Afterwards, several from Women’s Club thanked me for trying.
Anna’s health became an issue for her. She was in her nineties. And that really disgusted her. She went into a nursing home and I visited frequently. One day when I came in, the nurse asked me if I thought I could get Anna to play cards with the ladies there. She said Anna did play for a while, but then just stopped and refused to continue. I told her I’d see what I could do. Well, as it turned out there was nothing I could do. When I mentioned it to her, she said she couldn’t stand to play with them - that they “play like children”. Understand that Anna gave lessons in bridge to many people in Murrysville for many years, and as you might imagine, was far above them in ability. So that was a waste of my breath.
She was the most interesting person I every met. So intelligent and so learned. Truly one of a kind And I want everyone to remember that if it weren’t for her, this town would probably still be called Franklin dTownship. Also please remember that if not for her, there probably wouldn’t be a Murrysville Garden Club.
You know, it’s nice to plant a tree in honor of a deceased member, but I think we did the best possible thing for Anna. We let her know our affection for her by giving her a really big party in the community building for her 90th birthday, and I don’t think I ever saw her more pleased. And then we had that brass plate engraved and attached to the big boulder outside. Think about that: it cannot die, needs no care, and certainly can’t be stolen easily because of its weight. I think Anna is pleased.
The garden club of fifty women held a flower show in the fall of their first year, and has been gardening energetically ever since.
My Memories of Anna Cotter | by Janet Russell
We moved here from Columbus, Ohio in December of 1967. Several months later, I met Theresa Cerra, who convinced me to join the Murrysville Garden Club as she had done. She had moved here from Pittsburgh several months before we did. As you might surmise - that’s how I became acquainted with Anna.
She amazed me. She knew everything about the town and the club and a heck of a lot about the members. As I came to know her better, she would ask me to get involved with the things she was interested in. At that time, Murrysville was called Franklin Township. Several years after I came here, she introduced a ballot for the general public to vote on to have the town named Murrysville officially. I helped by standing outside the polls and asking people to vote for it. It did pass - thus we are Murrysville. There really wasn’t much Anna didn’t know how to do. However, tact was not her forte.
She certainly gained my respect because of her knowledge and her interest in improving anything she could. My youngest son, Jeff, was about 5 when she met him and took a decided interest in him. And the feeling was mutual. He liked her too. She fostered in him the love of plants, which continues to this day. One day she gave him a bunch of the hardy cactus plants she had - and he was hooked. He loved them, and that pleased her greatly. I was later told that she was always partial to boys - probably because she had a son, and the fact that she wasn’t a terribly feminine person. She didn’t like frivolous things or people. Sometimes at club, she made that perfectly clear. As I said, tact was not an asset that she enjoyed.
She had started the Rose Society and the Mum Society in Pittsburgh long before I met her. And, of course, our garden club, too. She got me involved in Communities, Inc which was in charge of Haymaker Park. She had worked on that for many years and I think she needed a break. I was on the board for many years and Bette Hoover was a fine President. Actually, I stayed until the FAAA became heavily involved and to all intents and purposes, simply took over and made it their organization. Every year we applied to the United Way for funds. When they insisted on not being truthful in their applications, I left the group for the good of the garden club, of which I was the representative. I feared legal action (which was entirely possible) and wanted to spare us any problems.
One year, I helped Anna plant miniature roses all along the sides of the ball field. They flourished and were lovely. Several years ago, I saw men pulling all of them out. It was very sad to me. I’m glad Anna wasn’t here to see that. However, if she were here, they would have certainly been aware of her anger!
She had taken responsibility for general maintenance of the building. Many times I found her under the sink in the kitchen, performing as a plumber. At that time the Women’s Club (which she had also begun) was responsible for the care of the building, and when anything went wrong, she was the one they called. Another time I was supposed to meet her there, but couldn’t find her.I saw her car - but no Anna. Finally, I resorted to yelling her name. Actually, I was getting a little scared about her wellbeing, but then I heard her respond. She was up on the roof - repairing it! I was relieved and surprised, too. On other occasions, she would repair the toilets that had an outside access. We assumed kids were the culprits who regularly stopped up the toilets with paper and junk. She used a snake and made pretty quick work of it.
She and the Women’s Club got to the point where they lost affection for each other. At one time, she had a terrible argument with them. Actually, Anna was kind of a work horse for them. When the plumbing went bad, she fixed it. And the same with the heating, the plantings, the roof and everything else. I always felt, that even though she was contankerous, they really didn’t show her the appreciation that she deserved. The Women’s Club was also in charge of the library, which was housed in the community building. They saw to the kinds of books that were made available, subject matter, etc. Well, for many years the Garden Club would buy lovely gardening books and donate them to the library. However, when we found that they simply threw some of them away, she (and many others) were livid, and at one of the Women’s Club meeting, she really let them know. Apparently they had quite a fight, which was to be continued privately at a later date. Guess who she asked to attend that meeting with her - ME. It was something I sure didn’t want any part of, but I went. Anna told them we worked very hard for the money to buy the books that they discarded (TRUE) and the least they could do was to offer them to us if they wanted to be rid of them. But she had been very blunt, and there was another woman in Women’s Club just as blunt and tactless as Anna, so as far as I was concerned, I didn’t stand a chance of creating any kind of reconciliation. I was so glad when that afternoon was over! Afterwards, several from Women’s Club thanked me for trying.
Anna’s health became an issue for her. She was in her nineties. And that really disgusted her. She went into a nursing home and I visited frequently. One day when I came in, the nurse asked me if I thought I could get Anna to play cards with the ladies there. She said Anna did play for a while, but then just stopped and refused to continue. I told her I’d see what I could do. Well, as it turned out there was nothing I could do. When I mentioned it to her, she said she couldn’t stand to play with them - that they “play like children”. Understand that Anna gave lessons in bridge to many people in Murrysville for many years, and as you might imagine, was far above them in ability. So that was a waste of my breath.
She was the most interesting person I every met. So intelligent and so learned. Truly one of a kind And I want everyone to remember that if it weren’t for her, this town would probably still be called Franklin dTownship. Also please remember that if not for her, there probably wouldn’t be a Murrysville Garden Club.
You know, it’s nice to plant a tree in honor of a deceased member, but I think we did the best possible thing for Anna. We let her know our affection for her by giving her a really big party in the community building for her 90th birthday, and I don’t think I ever saw her more pleased. And then we had that brass plate engraved and attached to the big boulder outside. Think about that: it cannot die, needs no care, and certainly can’t be stolen easily because of its weight. I think Anna is pleased.
Anna Cotter’s Creed
We believe in the joy of growing things; that it is good to know and cherish the wonders of nature, and labor to increase them. We believe that work in the garden brings beauty to our homes, health to our bodies, and peace to our hearts. May our association in the Garden Club help us to realize these things.
Vision
To enrich the community through sharing the benefits that gardening brings to our minds, our bodies and our environment.
Mission
Through the efforts of exceptional volunteers, we strive to: foster knowledge of horticulture and floral arranging, serve as stewards of our environment, and encourage civic beautification through interaction with community organizations consistent with the goals of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania and the National Garden Club.
Collect
Our Heavenly Father, for Thy beauty and love
Which we see in each flower and tree, we thank Thee.
May the miracle of growing things which Thou dost share with man
Fill our hearts and lives with the love of Thee and all mankind.
Amen
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by Hostgator