OFFICERS
- Presidents: Jeanette Meyer
- Vice President: Donna Thurn
- Secretaries: Phil Rettman
- Treasurer: Amy Nelson
- Council Director: Joey Miller
- Committees
Caring Support: Ailene Buchtrup
KGC House Gardens :Co-Chairs Phil Rettman, Karen Bibart, Ann Bray and Ailene Buchtrup
Membership: Vacant
Program Chair: Carole Amick
Greens Sale Representative: Donna Thurn
Greens Sale Project Co-Chairs (Swags): Cynthia Hutchinson and Amy Nelson
Historian: Donna Thurn
Yearbook: Denise Clegg
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
• Participate in the KGC Greens Sale
• Western Hills Memorial Garden at KGC Council House
Western Hills Memorial Garden at the Kalamazoo Garden Council House
CLUB MEETINGS & PROGRAMS
Third Wednesday of each month at 12:30 P.M. unless noted otherwise. No meetings in January or February.
July 21, 2021 @12:30 P.M.
Hostess: Denise Clegg and Ann Bray
Program: Garden Tour at the home of Linda Whitlock retired MSU extension agent.
Location: Please begin at Denise Clegg’s home
August 10 and 11, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs, Flower Show School Symposium
Host: Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc.
Location: Okemos Conference Center
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org
August 19, 2021 @12:30 P.M.
Hostesses: Jeanette Meyer and Phil Rettman
Program: Japanese Knotweed
September 8 and 9, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs, Environmental School Course 3
Host: MGC, Inc., District 4 and Midland Garden Council
Location: Aldersgate United Methodist Church Midland, MI
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
September 14, 2021 @12:30 P.M. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A
TUESDAY.
Hostesses: Peggy Sattler and Ailene Buchtrup
Program: Ornamental Grasses
Location: Wedel’s, 5020 Texas Dr., Kalamazoo, 49009
September 15 and 16, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs, Gardening School Course 3
Host: Kalamazoo Garden Council
Location: Zoom Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
September 28 and 29, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs, Flower Show School Course 1
Host:Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc. District 5 Location: Carnegie Building, Petosky, MI
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
October 6, 2021, 9:00 A.M.-3:30 P.M.
Program: District 3 Meeting, “Reflections of the Season”
Host: Chula Vista Garden Club
Location: Plainwell Comfort Inn, 622 Allegan St., Plainwell, MI 49080
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
October 13 and 14, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs Environmental School Course 4
Host: MGC, Inc., District 4 and Midland Garden Council
Location: Aldersgate United Methodist Church Midland, MI
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
October 18 and 19, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs
Landscape Design School Course 3
Host Club: Tri-Cities Garden Club
Location: Robinson Baptist Church, 12011 N. 120th Avenue, Grand Haven, MI 49417
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
October 20, 2021
Hostesses: Memorial Garden Committee
Program: Fall Garden Clean-Up at KGC house
November 1 and 2, 2021
Program: Central Region Convention
Location: Essenhaus, Middlebury, IN
November 10 and 11, 2021
Program: National Garden Clubs Gardening School Course 4
Host: Kalamazoo Garden Council
Location: Zoom
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
November 17, 2021 12:30 P.M.
Hostesses: Cynthia Hutchinson and Joey Miller
Program: Green Sale Club Projects
Location: TBA
December 2-4, 2021
KGC Greens Sale
December 15, 2021 Noon
Hostesses: Carole Kellogg, Ann Bray
Program: Holiday Party
Location: Kellogg home
January 19, 2022 No Meeting
February 16, 2022 No Meeting
March 16, 2022
Hostesses: Donna Thurn and Carole Amick
Program:TBA
Location: River Street Flowerland
March 23 and 24, 2022
Program: National Garden Clubs Flower Show School Course 2
Host Club: Petosky Area Garden Club
Location: TBA
Registration Information: https://migardenclubs.org/
April 20, 2022 12:30 P.M.
Hostesses: Amy Nelson and Rosemarie Griffith
Program: Wildflower Tour at Kalamazoo Nature Center
May 16-20, 2022
Program: 2021 NGC Convention
Location: Rosen-Plaza, Orlando, FL Details are to be announced.
May 18, 2022
Hostesses: Memorial Garden Committee
Program: Spring Garden Clean-Up at KGC House
June 7-8, 2022
Program: Tentative Date MGC Conference and Annual Meeting Details are to be announced
June 14, 2022
Program: Tentative Date KGC Annual Meeting Details to be announced
June 15, 2022
Hostesses: Executive Board Members
Program: Annual Meeting and Installation of Officers
Location: Kalamazoo Garden Council House
MISSION STATEMENT
To stimulate interest in horticulture, the environment and the related arts.
Welcome to Western Hills Garden Club
We are a working garden club where each member is expected to donate gardening skills, organizational skills, planning skills, and/or leadership. Gardening skills are displayed working at William Crispe Residential Home in
Plainwell, MI, which was our club’s primary community project, and at the Kalamazoo Garden Council House, 5333 N. Westnedge, in Oshtemo Township, Kalamazoo County, MI. All able bodied members are expected to participate.
Being a member allows you to exchange ideas through monthly club meetings, district meetings, conventions, conferences and schools. Correspondence about these events occurs through email. There is no expectation of
pre-existing knowledge. We encourage you to learn from other members by volunteering to assist them. We also learn from each other by demonstration and by attending National Schools, and State and Council programs which
occur throughout the state. Members are also encouraged to participate in flower shows.
The club enjoys membership in National Garden Clubs, Inc., Central Region of National Garden Clubs, Inc., Michigan Garden Clubs, Inc., and Kalamazoo Garden Council, a group of nine clubs in Greater Kalamazoo. The KGC Greens Sale is held the first full weekend of December. This is the highlight of the year where we all get in the mood for the holidays by displaying and selling our winter themed natural designs. It is a great way to meet members of other clubs belonging to the council. All members volunteer at this event.
Our members host monthly meetings. Meetings occur at various gardening themed businesses, members’ homes, or Kalamazoo Garden Council House. Regular attendance at meetings is expected, for isn’t the reason you joined to learn more about gardening? Working together to share knowledge and skills, we share friendship. It is hoped that all members will share their talents in whatever arena they are skillful.
We welcome new members for they instill in us enthusiasm for our passion. Rewards are great while dues are small. Our club has been honored with a Club of Distinction Award at the Platinum level in 2018 and 2019. We strive to keep an active membership of 25-30 members. Our small club achieves a lot but most of all we share friendship.
CLUB HISTORY
Western Hills Garden Club was founded in 1960. The charter members were “buddies” in the Kalamazoo Newcomer Club. Fourteen ladies joined together to stimulate interest in agriculture, horticulture and related arts. The club was federated in 1963 as Club 244. Its flower is The Brown-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta L.) Meetings are held at 11:00 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every month except February. The members are a diversified group living in Kalamazoo, Portage, Plainwell, Battle Creek, Augusta and Gobles and Otsego.
WHGC maintained the garden areas of The William Crispe Residential Home in Plainwell, MI until its closure in June 2019. The members were in the gardens for fall and spring clean-up as well as during the summer months. A cutting garden had been planted to provide fresh flowers for the residents. In 2008 the grounds were recognized by the Plainwell City Council with The Spring Beautification Award.
Western Hills is one of nine clubs in the greater Kalamazoo area belonging to the Kalamazoo Garden Council and actively supports its goals and activities including a two day Greens Sale the first weekend in December. The funds earned are used throughout the year for student scholarships, member enrichment and beautification projects.
MICHIGAN GARDEN CLUB LIFE MEMBERS
- Esther Christensen
- Dee Pederson
- Francis Sage
- Carole Kellogg
- Karen Gentile
- Rosemarie Griffith
- Denise Clegg 2020
- Dee Wentzel 2020
NATIONAL GARDEN CLUB LIFE MEMBERS
- Carole Kellogg 2009
- Karen Gentile 2015
PAST PRESIDENTS
- 1961-Mrs. Rudolph Faller (Cyrena)
- 1962-Mrs. E. John Larson (Ann)
- 1963-Mrs. John McKay (Sue)
1964-Mrs. Karl Erickson (Ann)- 1965-Mrs. Albert Maass (Marilyn)
- 1966-Mrs. Henrich Schreimer (Mary)
- 1967-Mrs. John Hayes (Jan)
- 1968-Mrs. Willard Goodman
- 1969-Mrs. Edwin Rosenbaum (Joan)
- 1971-Mrs. Gordon Duncan (Nancy)
- 1972-Mrs. Ray Pederson (Dee)
- 1970-Mrs. Paul Krim (Elaine)
- 1973-75 Mrs. Esther Christensen
- 1975-Mrs. Frances Sage
- 1976-Marilyn Maass
- 1977-Jan Hayes
- 1978-Esther Christensen
- 1979-Jan Hayes
- 1980-Frances Sage
- 1981-Mardee Mott
- 1982-Marilyn Maass
- 1983-Doraldyne Sachs
- 1984-86 Sue Smith
- 1986-88 Rita Moore
- 1988-Esther Christensen
- 1989-Sylvia Van Poolen
- 1990-Dee Pederson
- 1991-Francis Sage
- 1992-94 Marilyn Maass
- 1994-Sue Smith
- 1995-97 Marian Freeman
- 1997-Francis Sage
- 1998-Dee Pederson
- 1999-Esther Christensen & Dee Pederson
- 2000-Kim de Bois & Marian Freeman
- 2001-Kim de Bois & Marion Freeman
- 2002-Marian Freeman
- 2003-5 Laura Jenkins
- 2005-8 Yvonne Evans Wordell
- 2008-Carole Kellogg
- 2009-2011 Karen Gentile
- 2011-2013 Jane Pennala
- 2013-2015 Dee Wentzel
- 2015-2017 Karen Gentile
- 2017-2020 Denise Clegg
Find out more about becoming a garden club member by completing the form below.