Versailles Area COC
Versailles Garden Club receives    People-Pride-Progress Award                                                                                                                                                      

The Versailles Area Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has announced the Versailles Garden Club as the recipient of the People-Pride-Progress Award.   This award was created in 2009 to honor any local organization that has demonstrated exemplary community service to the Village of Versailles.  

The club was inadvertently brought to the VACC’s attention through an article from the Versailles Area Historical Society newsletter. 

The Garden Club was founded in 1961 by Marcia Rhoades (who is still an active member), Maggie Brewer, Norma Barga, Betty Hole, Arlene Pohl, Lois Roll, Janice Oliver, Miriam Poling, Louise Rhoades and Marybel Weaver.  Since its inception the club has always been an active organization committed to making Versailles beautiful. 

Each spring the club fills eighty-five planters throughout the village with colorful annuals for which they have won a district award.  They also maintain the Annie Oakley Memorial near North Star during the months of May thru October and provide “Garden Therapy” to the residents at the Versailles Health Care Center.  Together the club members and the residents make floral arrangements which remain with the residents to brighten their rooms and dining room tables. 

The Garden Club has sponsored a Flower Show at Poultry Days since 1969, for which they have received a district certificate for “Civic Concern”.  In 1999 they have also received district, state and national recognition for assisting third grade students in a landscaping project at the old elementary school, which included composting, ground cover, shrubs, flowers, vegetable plants and the use of recycled materials.    

The largest project the Garden Club has undertaken was the $35,000, landscaping project at the new Worch Memorial Library location which earned the Club a district, state and national award.  After nine years of hard work and fundraising the completed “reading garden” includes a water fountain, gazebo, trees, scrubs, perennials, stone planters, arches, benches and a donor stone in the shape of an open book. 

With no downtime between projects the club agreed to remove the old overgrown shrubs at the Versailles Historical Society and design new beds for plants and flowers.  Their designs include architectural stones from the razed two story school building. 

The Garden Club may not have time to “stop and smell the roses” as they are always working on fundraisers to finance their projects.  Some familiar fundraisers, past and present include; a Garden Tour, a Holiday Show and Bazaar, an Annual Plant Sale, and Holiday Home tours.    

The club respectfully sponsors a “Deceased Member Memorial”; they also award a thousand dollar college scholarship to a Versailles graduate who chooses to study in the field of Floriculture, Horticulture, Botany, or any related field, such as Agronomy, Plant Pathology or even Landscaping Design.  And to raise horticulture awareness within Versailles school district the Versailles Garden Club awards the “Garden of the Month” distinction to a local garden during the months of May through October. 

The Garden Club has had numerous community minded members throughout its 52 years of existence and the award will be received with the awareness that every member throughout the history of the Club’s existence has helped cultivate the club into the organization it is today.  

The 2013 Officers and Members are; Hattie Knapke (President), Chris Lennon (Vice President), Shirley Schlater (Secretary), Joan Ruschau (Treasurer), Rebecca Ahlers, Barb Akina, Susan Ballinger, Terri Bey, Susan Browder, Phyllis Collins, Jenny Condon, Michelle Dircksen, Carol Frey, Sue Leugers, Bev Garrison, Karen Mescher, Ruth Pierron, Marcia Rhoades, Judy Shappie, Shirley Subler, Marge Prakel, and Dena Wuebker.   

Many of the present 22 members of the Versailles Garden Club will be on hand at the VACC Banquet to receive their award and to honor Deb Pohl as Citizen of the Year.  The public is invited to attend this celebration on Monday, January 21, at the Riviera Banquet Room, Stillwater Valley Golf Course.  The event is $20.00 per person with a cash bar.  Doors open at 6:00 pm and the meal will be served at 6:45 pm.  Please RSVP to Fred or Stacy Poeppelman at 526-9869 by January 15th.