History of the Garden Club
In 1944 when Mandarin was only a rural village with back roads leading to a general store and post office, the president of the Mandarin Community Club appointed a Beautification Committee. Little was accomplished that year and the following year the Mandarin Community Club president asked Carolyn Adams to form a garden club.
This was the birth of the Mandarin Garden Club in the fall of 1945 with 30 members. Meetings were held at the Mandarin Community Club until the meeting room flooded.
Bert Foshee shared her sadness at the loss of the meeting room with her husband who was a contractor. He told her to find a piece of land suitable for a clubhouse and he would construct the building. Sam Folds, huband of Marjorie Folds, located and handled the purchase of the lot on Loretto Road. Mr. Foshee built the clubhouse which was completed during the summer of 1963. Without their husbands’ knowledge, garden club members, Louise Hill and Bess Permenter, signed the mortgage and after its satisfaction in 1987, the mortgage was burned.
The garden club continues to grow and works continuously to share with the community. In order to preserve the existence of our club, annual fund raisers are conducted at the club with donations for these events made possible by our members. Profits from these fund raising projects have been used for service projects and sponsorship to a variety of community projects as well as the maintenance and improvement of the club’s building, grounds and gardens.
The foremost goal of the club has always been to educate its members, the residents of Mandarin and our youth in the aspects of caring for and beautifying our community. Club members have planted hundreds of varieties of trees and plants over the years. Circle programs are given on preserving the environment and every aspect of gardening.
Mandarin Garden Club Facts Today
Colors – Green and white •
