submitted Grace Rabano, Clermont Garden Club
The Clermont Garden’s Club goals are to educate its members about their relationship to horticulture, conservation, and the environment & community. To meet this goal, the Clermont Garden Club performed various services within the local community including at Minneola Place and Head Start of Clermont.
Minneola Place, located on South Main St. in Minneola FL, is an assisted living facility that provides full-time care for ~18-22 residents. In this program year, Clermont Garden Club members prepared and delivered gifts to the residents during the winter holiday, and then again in spring. In winter, personal mini decorated Christmas trees were distributed to brighten each resident’s room. Additionally, each resident received a gift of a mug with edible treats, plus a gift bag with personal toiletries. In spring, the Garden Club prepared floral Easter baskets for the facility’s dining area, and gifted games (dominoes and bingo) to the residents. Also throughout the growing season, Clermont Garden Club members helped beautify the grounds at Minneola Place by installing flowering plants for the residence to enjoy, ensuring that weeds are kept at bay and the flowers are adequately irrigated.
Head Start is a free program for children (ages 3-5) of low income families, providing child care and comprehensive early learning at the facility located at E. Desoto St., Clermont FL. In the fall,
Head Start held a festival and the Clermont Garden Club participated by hosting an activity table where children “got their hands dirty” and potted a flowering plant to give to someone special at home. In the spring, Club members led a craft session where the children made bird feeders using pinecone, peanut butter and bird seeds. Also in spring, Club members beautified the exterior of Head Start by clearing and installing flowers and plants in garden beds. Throughout the year, the Clermont Garden Club also purchased and donated flower/garden related books for the classrooms at Head Start. Club members came during the school day to interact and read the books to children.
The Clermont Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that (in addition to engaging in horticultural and gardening activities) performs various community services. The clubhouse, located at 849 West Ave, Clermont FL, is available for rentals for parties, showers, small weddings, etc. See www.clermontgardenclub.org.
