The Bible Hill Garden Club is preparing for the milestone anniversary and while members get ready for a special service on Monday, a lot of reminiscing about the organization's significance in the area is being shared.
Club president Ken Phillips first attended the group about 15 years ago with a friend and he's impressed when he realizes just how much the club has done.
"This milestone is very special. We have 60 members and there were about 30 when I started. More people are interested in gardening, more are informed about new trends and love the social aspect of it," said Phillips, who has been president for five years. "It's also getting back to the basics of working on the land and pride in helping the community all these years."
Some of the projects the club has taken on since its inception include staking and numbering the lots from Vimy Road to East Court for the convenience of mail carriers in 1949, developing the Holy Well Park on Main Street, protesting the destruction of historic buildings, encouraging the village to maintain and protect trees along College Road and beautifying the community by planting trees and shrubs, to name only a few.
Barb Morton, the club's past president, has been a member for about 50 years. She first attended with a neighbour and recalled her mother enjoying going to a garden club in Pictou years before.
"People don't realize all we do in the community like work in the Holy Well Park, planting at the hospital and planting trees at the Bible Hill Cemetery," Morton said.
For her personally, the joy of being of a member of the Bible Hill Garden Club is the people she has met and hold dear.
"There's no separation of class there and I've made some really good friends," she said, adding there's a sense of pride that comes with belonging to a group that makes a visible difference in the community.
"When you see somebody fixing up their property it's contagious and you want to beautify the community, and it's very relaxing."
Club members will gather on Monday at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College for a special anniversary event. It will include a review of its history, recognition of members, speakers and much more.
INFO BOX:
What: Bible Hill Garden Club
Milestone: 65th anniversary
First organized: January 1947 with 17 members to promote the improvement of home grounds, assist in the beautification of community grounds, local parks and schools
Originally called: Hillcrest Landscape Club and people gathered at member's homes until about 2000 when the group became too large to accommodate them
Members now: 60 people from throughout Colchester County, mostly women, with the average age between 50 and 60
Open to new members: The group gathers the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. in the Bible Hill fire hall
Events include: Meetings, guest speakers, tours, special events such as wreath making at Christmas, etc.
