The Riverview Garden Club celebrated at the Riverview Civic Center, on the banks of the Alafia River, a historic moment in the group’s history, marking 70 years since Jerine Mayhall first organized the group, which held its first meeting on September 1, 1954, at the home of M.G. DenVitto.
Grounded in a legacy of growing flowers, herbs, vegetables, shrubs, trees and more, male and female members young and old meet monthly at the civic center, where members recently installed a butterfly garden. At meetings, they hear from guest speakers and discuss club business, including plant sales, wildflower plantings, field trips, garden tours, fundraisers and the scholarship program for college students set to study environmental science and other such subjects. The yearly plant sale fundraiser is held in February.
“From its inception the club has been very active planting trees, hosting flower shows and fostering legislation to save the Alafia River from pollution,” said club President Carolyn Siebert about letters sent to President Eisenhower in 1955 concerning legislation that, as she put it, saved the Alafia River from further pollution and allowed the waterway to “become the beautiful river it is today.”
Siebert noted other past club endeavors, including the donation of funds and advice from master gardeners to public school butterfly and community gardens, and donations and support to several groups and organizations, including the Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center, Haley House Fund, Hospice Advantage, MacDonald Training Center, My Warrior’s Place, Boys & Girls Club, Seeds of Faith Community Garden, Postage for Troops and LifePath Hospice.
Beautification, cultivation and conservation are key concerns for club members, who at the civic center on September 11 met to pay tribute to founding members; past presidents; the oldest member, nonagenarian Edward Epps, in attendance; and every member, new and long-serving. Among them was Suzanne Fuqua, president of the club in 2001, who revisited the holly bush members planted “in loving memory” of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The tree and memorial plaque stand outside the civic center, which club members have played an instrumental role in supporting. Sandra Rossiter, with maps and other documents she found in her elderly mother’s home, discussed this connection in her luncheon remarks.
Also at the luncheon, Sheila and Rick DeBow shared a slideshow presentation attesting to the highlights of club news and activities over the decades, including its mission to protect the Alafia River; Arbor Day tree plantings; the club’s first flower show, ‘A Time of Beauty,’ in 1955; and roadway beautification projects, including a welcome sign installed by the club in 1975, on the west side of U.S. 301, north of Hackney Drive. Yearbook cover art from throughout the years was highlighted as well, with many covers on display at the luncheon.
The Riverview Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the Riverview Civic Center, located at 11020 Park Dr. in Riverview, except in July and August. The business meeting is followed by programs and presentations related to gardening, the environment and social service organizations. A potluck luncheon follows. For more, visit the club’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/p/riverview-garden-club-of-florida-100064568205063/. Email riverviewgardenclub1954@gmail.com.
