May 18 Meeting after Rose City Greenhouse Tour

Meeting opened with prayer.  

Our Co Chairman Karen, was home recovering from surgery.  Get well, Karen!  Other Co Chair Barb A. held the meeting. 

Attendees were Bob and Mary Michela, Sharon Andre, Kelly Matlock, Shari Glenn, Debra Weiss, Nancy Berlew, Barb Bishoff, Lenore Uphoff, Patti Gruber, Karen Basner, Cathie Diffin, Stephanie Colie, Patty Anderson, Barb Andries, and Melody Peterman.

We had 4 guests; Carol, Cathy, Alison, and Jim.

TREASURER’S report; We started the month with $4631.02, had income of $88, spent $759.21, and ended the month with $3958.81.  Treasurer’s report was accepted.

SECRETARY’S Report:  We received a thank you from the Roscommon Community Gardens.

COMMITTEE REPORTS;

PROGRAM: We received a thank you from the Country Gardeners in Mio, for inviting them to our April meeting.

Our June meeting will be TUESDAY, (note the day change) June 16, at the Japanese Gardens and Cultural Center in Saginaw.  We will have a tour, and they will preform a tea ceremony for us.  The cost is $10, which the Club will pick up for members.  Non-members will be responsible for their charge.  PLEASE RSVP to Nancy at 989-422-6017, as she will have to prepay for this program.

PR:  We now have Public and Private Facebook pages.  PLEASE join and share the public one, which will get our name out further into the community.  Barb will send out a link for you to do that.  If you have not received it, please contact her.

Hope you’re getting and reading emails!  If you are not, contact Barb A

WEBMASTER:  KGC.org has been updated for 2026.  Please visit our website regularly!

DONATIONS:  All donations were done in February, so there was no report.

BEAUTIFICATION:  Spring Cleanup at CRAF center was started, but postponed due to weather.  Weeding still needs to be done; that will happen on June 1, starting at 9am.  

The bulk of cleanup at the Houghton Lake Library has been completed, and pictures were posted on the website.

CRAFTING: Crafting will provide seed saver bags with our name on them at the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival on June 6.  If you are willing to take a shift at the table that day, please contact Barb A.  Watch for email about the get together to prepare for the Art Festival; bring your craft there.

ART FESTIVAL:  July 11 This was in 3 segments; Garden Treasures, Garden Tour, and Crafting

Glenda suggested that we start and establish 4” perennials NOW so that they will do well the day of the Festival, and afterwards in their new homes.  The pot should include the name of the plant and it’s sun requirement.  Glenda has pots if you need them.  Irises can be tubers in bags; no dirt.  Houseplants are also welcome.  Watch for Glenda’s email.

GARDEN TREASURES:  Cathie emphasized that Garden Treasures refers to gently used gardening items such as tools, or garden art, not household items which happen to have flowers on them  She and Bob Michela are available for items to be dropped at their houses, or they will pick them up.  Contact them for that.  Please also keep an eye out at garage and rummage sales and thrift stores for such items; the committee cannot reimburse, so these will be considered a donation from you. 

Posters and packets were distributed.  Some establishments don’t allow publicity.  If you find one that says, “No,” write down the location and give that information to Cathie.

GARDEN TOUR:  We now have 8 gardens committed for the Tour.  In future, anyone can recommend a garden, so keep an eye out for lovely spaces as you drive around.

Day Of/Day After:  Day After will meet at 9am at the CRAF Center.

Kelly would like to schedule shorter garden sitter shifts, but that means more volunteers.  PLEASE volunteer.

Members; buy your tickets!  For each ticket a member purchases, they will receive another ticket to give away to a friend, neighbor, etc. 

Discounts are being offered at local restaurants, for after the Tour.  A list is being built, and Steph will compile that.

OVERNIGHT TRIP:  Melody passed around a sheet to ask for suggestions for places members want to go.  Please contact her if you missed the meeting and want to suggest somewhere.

SEE MY GARDEN:  A little early to see gardens.

SCHOLARSHIP:  A scholarship was granted this year to Gaylan Cichowski of St Helen.

GARDENING QUESTION; Is it too early to put out annuals?  Yes!  Wait until May 31!

GARDEN TIP:  Was not a tip, but a neat story:

During WWII, kapok for life vest stuffing was unavailable because the area it was produced was occupied by the Japanese.  It was suggested that milkweed floss could be used instead.  Civilians, including school kids, collected milkweed pods which were sent to Petoskey, where the Milkweed Floss Corporation made and stuffed vests!

Meeting adjourned; the vote was unanimous.