Club meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month — join one to see if you’d like to get involved! Learn more on Facebook or at www.genevagardenclub.com.
GROWING IN community GENEVA GARDEN CLUB APPROACHES 100 YEARS OF CAMARADERIE AND FRIENDSHIP By Louise Treeny | Photos provided by Geneva Garden Club
ore than 90 years ago, two women started Geneva Garden Club with the goals of beautifying and educating the community about gardening. Now, about 80 members carry on their legacy, working toward those same goals, managing gardens around Geneva and meeting to discuss their own plots. “It’s an incredible group of talented, creative women who care about their community,” says Deb HallReppen, the group’s president. Hall-Reppen joined Geneva Garden Club in March 1996. Her interest in art and craft projects is a natural example of the club’s embrace of different talents: Hall-Reppen is going to sell her garden art at the upcoming plant sale. “You can share whatever your talent is,” says Pam Cabeen, publicity chair. A number of members volunteer at the Kane County Jail’s community garden, working alongside inmates. The resulting conversations about family, recipes and growing your own food have added to the success of the initiative. Other projects include tending CASA Kane County’s outdoor garden by the courthouse, planting urns
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HOME & LIFESTYLE MAY 2022
near Third Street and the Geneva History Museum, and a remembrance walkway for Geneva’s local American Legion chapter. The group raises money for local students who are studying sustainability and horticulture as well, furthering the goal for gardening education. “I think that the biggest misconception is that we’re ‘ladies who lunch’!” writes Hall-Reppen in an email. “First and foremost, we’re ladies who get down into the dirt, and plant, and weed, and educate, and beautify. Then we raise money so that we can plant and educate and beautify some more. Then we have lunch and celebrate!” Both Hall-Reppen and Cabeen describe the group as welcoming, educational and not cliquey. Many members’ gardens are a mix of flowers and vegetables, but a big garden is certainly not a requirement to be a part of the fun. “It’s not just flowers in your garden,” says Cabeen. “It’s so much more.” SPONSORED BY:
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE 2 EVENTS: GARDEN SALE: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 14 at 2360 Kaneville Road, Geneva. You’ll find cuttings from members’ plants, all in good condition, along with yard art, coasters and more! Proceeds will go toward future projects. FABYAN JAPANESE GARDEN DEDICATION: June 5 at Fabyan Forest Preserve. The ceremony will take place near the river and is open to the public. It will honor the late Darlene Larson, a former member who spent 40 years restoring the garden.
