Et cetera : Vinton Garden Club tours Quasqueton business

The Vinton Garden Club member of National Garden Clubs, Inc., District II, and Central Region met 9:30 am, May 28, 2014 at "In The Country Garden and Gifts" in Quasqueton with Fran Stueck as hostess. Owners Josh and Sue Spece gave a presentation and tour of their business. The meeting was held in the gazebo. Lunch was at Wolfey's in Quasqueton. President Fran Stueck called the meeting to order at 10:40 am. Members recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the Conservation Pledge. Six members answered roll call "What's your favorite hosta?" Secretary's report was read and approved. Treasurer's report was given. Bills were presented and approved. Correspondence: Thank you from our scholarship winner Emily Cashman and invitation to her open house at U.S. Bank Building. Committee reports: photography and publicity-news put in paper and on Vinton Today. Ways and means-Cam Wood reported on the plant and bake sale May 16th. Unfinished business: The Cleveland Select Pear tree the club planted for Arbor Day is not alive. Fran talked with John Frazier and he is going to replace it and plant it for us. Anne Dake, Sharen Stueck, Cam Wood, Fran Stueck, Joyce Bratten, Kelly Kaut and Susie Hansen attended the District II meeting May 23rd at Monticello. The club received Blue Ribbon Club, Advanced Rating, and Blue Ribbon Yearbook Award. The plant sale was again a big success. The plants and baked goods disappeared fast as customers filled their boxes. The club would like to thank the public for coming out on a nice evening to get their bargain plants grown by members. Members helping customers with their purchases or cashiers were Joyce Bratten, Ted and Fran Stueck, Cam Wood, Anne Dake, Cindy Pattee, Kelly Kaut and Luanna Hawkins. Fran presented the Vinton Garden Club annual scholarship of $250 on awards night at the High School to Emily Cashman. She is going into floriculture. Report of committees planted planters around town. Joyce, Sharen, Anne, Kelly and Fran cleaned off Scherbring garden and perennial bed in the Tilford Outdoor Classroom. Ted planted tree, "Baby Tears", a weeping flowering crab at Scherbring garden on 218 to replace the grasses and Fran, Joyce, Sharen, Anne, and Kelly planted perennials that were left from the plant sale. New Business: National Garden Week is June 1-7. President Fran Stueck will meet with Mayor John Watson to sign the proclamation and put picture and article in the paper and Vinton Today on Thursday Morning. Members signed up to take arrangements to businesses around town Garden Week. The State Flower Show and meeting is June 20th at the Sheraton in Iowa City. Fran copied the registration form for members to fill out if they were interested in attending. Fran received a memorial in memory of Rita from Dave Glime. It will be used for members to attend Central Region Meeting in 2015 in Cedar Rapids. Rita was going to help Fran with the planning of the three days. Rita enjoyed the club and the special meetings she attended. She was a big asset to the club, enjoyed by all and missed deeply. The next meeting will be June 25th at the fairground office with Kelly Kaut as hostess. Fran Stueck will give the program on design and horticulture with a hands-on class with members. Please remember to RSVP to Kelly as she is serving a brunch before the program and meeting. Members were assigned entry numbers and took entry tags to fill out for the flower show at the fair. Anyone interested in joining the Vinton Garden Club contact Fran Stueck at 472-3032