January 2024/February 2024 The January 17 meeting was held at Heartland Christian Church. Steven Still, Assistant professor at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, gave a power point presentation on "Garden Tours of Europe". A meeting was held February 21 at Heartland Christian Church. The speaker representing Glaciers End talked about Soil Health."
March 2023 The March 15 meeting was held at Heartland Christian Church. Two representatives of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge talked about "What's Going on at the Refuge - Upcoming Plans and Services". The Club hosted the District VII, Garden Clubs of Illinois annual meeting March 23 at the Family Life Center at St. Joseph Church.
April 2023 April 19 was a luncheon with installation of officers and short business meeting at Mackie's Pizza in Marion. April 26 and 27 members worked with Marion Carnegie Library to provide an Earth Day program for youth in the Library's Children's Story Hour. The project was to plant a 'Happy Trails' Portulaca (Moss Rose) in a cut out section of an old book or in a cup glued to the front of the book. April 28 Representatives of Marion Garden Club and Marion Park District and guests gathered at Bark Park to dedicate a tree for Arbor Day.
May 2023 Scholarship Night was held at Marion High School on May 2. The club scholarship chair presented the Marion Garden Club and Lorraine Highlander Scholarship for $1,000.00. A spring plant was held at the John Kaiser Pavilion in Ray Fosse Park on May 6. Members also planted the large pots at the Marion Park District Aquatics Center that day. May 17 the club held its regular meeting at Heartland Christian Church. The speaker talked about "Birding." May 22 members clean-up flowerbed at Pyramid Park. Youth Activities Committee members helped with the Marion Carnegie Library Story hour held at Mandela Gardens on May 24 as part of the Library's Summer Reading Program.
June 2023 The Mayor signed a proclamation naming June 4 to 10 Garden Week in Marion. Financial donations were made to the Williamson County Historical Society, the Marion Carnegie Library and to the Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County. June 8, a club member updated the flowerbed at the Lighthouse Shelter. The club hosted their annual garden tour and plant sale on June 10. A regular meeting of the club was held June 21 at Heartland Christian Church. The program was "Beekeeping" by Amy Fanelli.
July 2023/August 2023 July 11, eight club members attended the Garden Clubs of Illinois Summer Meeting held at Giant City Lodge. July 17, six members of the Club helped residents of Fifth Season Residential on Radcliffe Street with a garden therapy project. Members brought flowers and leaves from their garden to supplement some purchased flowers. They helped the residents arrange the flowers and greenery in a small, round fish- bowl type container. They also made pipe cleaner Daisies residents could put in a potted Marigold that they could take to their room and grow on their windowsill. The group made extra floral arrangements and pipe cleaner Daisies along with a couple potted Marigolds for the staff to give to residents unable to attend or use for decorating the facility. The regular meeting was held July 19 with a club member giving a power point presentation on the "Lifecycle of Monarch and Common Backyard Butterflies". The Marion Garden Club and Lorraine Highlander Scholarship was formally presented. Members met again at Heartland Christian Church for their August 16 meeting. A former club
member gave a program on "Gourd Painting."
September 2023/October 2023 The September 20 meeting was a trip to Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 IL-37 south of Cypress, IL. The Natural Resurce Coordinator talked about tagging Monarch butterflies. Then, a volunteer led the group on a tour of the educational stations. On the way home, the group stopped at Taylor Pumpkin Farm, Vienna, IL. At their October 18 meeting held at Heartland Christian Church, the club celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of the club. A club member gave a power-point presentation on the "History of The Marion Garden Club." Two twenty-one year and a twenty-year member were recognized. On October 26, members attended the District VII, GCI meeting hosted by Benton Garden Club.
November 2023/December 2023 Club members helped Marion Carnegie Library host a story hour about vegetables on November 8 and 9. On November 15 members traveled to the home of a club member to view her Christmas Village display and sunroom/greenhouse and then met at Heartland Christian Church for a business meeting and refreshments. Donations of cash or non-perishable items were collected for the Marion Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry. On December 5, Members of the Garden Therapy Committee helped residents of Fifth Season Residential, Radcliffe Street make a Christmas floral decoration for their room.
The Club's regular meeting held on the 13th was a Christmas luncheon. There was a short business meeting but no speaker.
March 2023 The March 15 meeting was held at Heartland Christian Church. Two representatives of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge talked about "What's Going on at the Refuge - Upcoming Plans and Services". The Club hosted the District VII, Garden Clubs of Illinois annual meeting March 23 at the Family Life Center at St. Joseph Church.
April 2023 April 19 was a luncheon with installation of officers and short business meeting at Mackie's Pizza in Marion. April 26 and 27 members worked with Marion Carnegie Library to provide an Earth Day program for youth in the Library's Children's Story Hour. The project was to plant a 'Happy Trails' Portulaca (Moss Rose) in a cut out section of an old book or in a cup glued to the front of the book. April 28 Representatives of Marion Garden Club and Marion Park District and guests gathered at Bark Park to dedicate a tree for Arbor Day.
May 2023 Scholarship Night was held at Marion High School on May 2. The club scholarship chair presented the Marion Garden Club and Lorraine Highlander Scholarship for $1,000.00. A spring plant was held at the John Kaiser Pavilion in Ray Fosse Park on May 6. Members also planted the large pots at the Marion Park District Aquatics Center that day. May 17 the club held its regular meeting at Heartland Christian Church. The speaker talked about "Birding." May 22 members clean-up flowerbed at Pyramid Park. Youth Activities Committee members helped with the Marion Carnegie Library Story hour held at Mandela Gardens on May 24 as part of the Library's Summer Reading Program.
June 2023 The Mayor signed a proclamation naming June 4 to 10 Garden Week in Marion. Financial donations were made to the Williamson County Historical Society, the Marion Carnegie Library and to the Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County. June 8, a club member updated the flowerbed at the Lighthouse Shelter. The club hosted their annual garden tour and plant sale on June 10. A regular meeting of the club was held June 21 at Heartland Christian Church. The program was "Beekeeping" by Amy Fanelli.
July 2023/August 2023 July 11, eight club members attended the Garden Clubs of Illinois Summer Meeting held at Giant City Lodge. July 17, six members of the Club helped residents of Fifth Season Residential on Radcliffe Street with a garden therapy project. Members brought flowers and leaves from their garden to supplement some purchased flowers. They helped the residents arrange the flowers and greenery in a small, round fish- bowl type container. They also made pipe cleaner Daisies residents could put in a potted Marigold that they could take to their room and grow on their windowsill. The group made extra floral arrangements and pipe cleaner Daisies along with a couple potted Marigolds for the staff to give to residents unable to attend or use for decorating the facility. The regular meeting was held July 19 with a club member giving a power point presentation on the "Lifecycle of Monarch and Common Backyard Butterflies". The Marion Garden Club and Lorraine Highlander Scholarship was formally presented. Members met again at Heartland Christian Church for their August 16 meeting. A former club
member gave a program on "Gourd Painting."
September 2023/October 2023 The September 20 meeting was a trip to Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885 IL-37 south of Cypress, IL. The Natural Resurce Coordinator talked about tagging Monarch butterflies. Then, a volunteer led the group on a tour of the educational stations. On the way home, the group stopped at Taylor Pumpkin Farm, Vienna, IL. At their October 18 meeting held at Heartland Christian Church, the club celebrated the 40th anniversary of the founding of the club. A club member gave a power-point presentation on the "History of The Marion Garden Club." Two twenty-one year and a twenty-year member were recognized. On October 26, members attended the District VII, GCI meeting hosted by Benton Garden Club.
November 2023/December 2023 Club members helped Marion Carnegie Library host a story hour about vegetables on November 8 and 9. On November 15 members traveled to the home of a club member to view her Christmas Village display and sunroom/greenhouse and then met at Heartland Christian Church for a business meeting and refreshments. Donations of cash or non-perishable items were collected for the Marion Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry. On December 5, Members of the Garden Therapy Committee helped residents of Fifth Season Residential, Radcliffe Street make a Christmas floral decoration for their room.
The Club's regular meeting held on the 13th was a Christmas luncheon. There was a short business meeting but no speaker.