Congratulations are in order to the Hawthorn Garden Club, which is celebrating 80 years in the community. A special luncheon and program will be held this week Tuesday in the Ben Hunt Room at the Hales Corners Library.
Garden Club members Nelda Vanicek and Betty Braun shared some history notes with me. The idea for a garden club was initially discussed when a group of local women got together for lunch at the home of Mrs. John Paul in 1925. (Those were the days when women used their husbands’ names rather than their own, so if any of my blog readers know Mrs. Paul’s first name, please pass that information on to me.) Among those present, according to local historian Jane Morgan, now deceased, were: Mrs. Ida Sperber, Mrs. Martha Malisch, Mrs. Harry Berger, Mrs. Arthur Johnson and Mrs. Ed Hunt.
In 1929 the group chose its name, Hawthorn Garden Club, and joined the newly organized State Federation of Garden Clubs. Hales Corners’ own Martha Malisch served as the first State Federation president, and Ida Sperber as secretary. Another longime member of the Hawthorn Garden Club, Ruth Harries, served as president of the State Federation of Garden Clubs in 1948.
Now there are probably people out there who think all garden club members do is sit around with fancy hats, drinking dainty cups of tea, and quietly admiring each others’ gardens. If you continue reading, you’ll find out there’s a lot more going on. For those who have studied Hales Corners history, you know there was once a Railway Depot in Hales Corners – but did you know that the first community project undertaken by the Hawthorn Garden Club was to beautify that depot with shurbs and bulbs? In 1940 the club sponosred an outdoor Christmas Decoration contest and, beginning in 1941, club members delivered May Day baskets to area shut-ins. Club members were also strong advocateds for continuing the Whitnall Park Arboretum. During World War II, club members helped roll bandages to support the war effort.
Anyone visiting Hales Corners and Whitnall Park in the spring will notice the hundreds of beautiful flowering crab trees. The Hawthorn Garden Club deserves credit for many of these trees because of their promotion of a Roadside Beautification Committee, appointed in 1964.
Another long-time community project, which began in 1969, was the Therapy Garden Club established by the Hawthorn Garden Club in cooperation with the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Once a month, October through May, garden club members from the Hales Corners area would assist those with multiple sclerosis to make special crafts. The club received many awards for this service and, during Irene Novotny’s term of office (1981-1983) received “Club of the Year” award.
Many people in the community became aware of the Hawthorn Garden Club through the annual “Weed Sale”, which started in 1980. Club members cultivated and harvested decorative “weeds” and collected some from public roadsides; then they would arrange them in attractive bouquets, wreaths or use them to make other decorative items and sell them to the public. Proceeds from these sales were used to provide outdoor plants and other landscaping at the original Hales Corners Library (on Highway 100 and Edgerton Avenue); to purchase library books on gardening; and to move the Ben Hunt Cabin from its original site to the present location on Hales Corners Library grounds. The Hawthorn Garden Club has also supported the Nature Conservancy, Friends of Boerner Gardens, Friends of Wehr Nature Center, the Stahl-Conrad Homestead, and various projects of the statewide garden association.
Past members, now deceased, who have been honored for accomplishments within the club as flower show arrangers, flower show judges, and teachers, include Henrietta Erickson, Marjorie Wolf, Marion Hickman, and Betty Moldenhauer.
Among some of the special memories current Garden Club members share include: a presentation of “Vintage Plants,” a Christmas party in the Ben Hunt Cabin, a February Valentine show named, “Quilts, Heirlooms, and Flowers.”
The club continues to meet monthly, featuring an informational program to further interest in flower arranging, indoor and outdoor gardening, conservation, birds and butterflies. At the anniversary celebration this week, Michael Gaffney, owner of Tulipomania garden shop, 319 E. Howard Avenue, will demonstrate his unique floral arrangements. Catering for the luncheon is by Franklin’s gourmet caterer, Sharon Holden.
Current president of Hawthorn Garden Club is Judy Strampe. Information about membership may be directed to Betty Braun, 425-4773.
If you have other information about the Hawthorn Garden Club, please add your comments below or contact me (Marjorie Pagel) via e-mail: mepagel@yahoo.com. I plan to add photos and updates in the near future.
