Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club recognized at district meeting
By Guest Columnist Stephanie Patton
Linda Hiter, butterfly enthusiast, presented a program on planting for and protecting butterflies.
The Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club was recognized for their outstanding contributions to their community during the River Road District meeting, held in Rolling Fork on October 1. Club President Patti Livingston accepted three awards that highlighted the club’s many projects and contributions benefitting the Leland community.
“We have fifteen continuing projects, such as supporting the Leland Food Pantry, planting the downtown planters, Eco Tots, the Delta Pediatric Sensory Garden, and helping with Christmas on Deer Creek,” said Livingston. “This year, we added nine new projects that feature an arboretum on the campus of Delta Research and Extension Center, maintenance of the Jim Henson Exhibit grounds, and participation in the summer reading program.”
Leland-Deer Creek was also instrumental in organizing the “Rooting for Rolling Fork” project, which encouraged all garden clubs in the River Road district to root annuals and perennials, shrubs and trees for donation to the Rolling Fork community. The plants were intended to help those in Rolling Fork who lost their landscaping during the March 2023 tornado to re-plant homes and businesses. The effort resulted in over two hundred rooted plants being donated to the Rolling Fork Garden Club, along with a $1,000 gift certificate from the Garden Market nursery.
“We were just overwhelmed with the response from Leland and the other clubs and cannot express how much we appreciate all that the Leland club did to support us during the aftermath of the tornado,” said Jill Smith, Rolling Fork Garden Club president. “Our community felt the love from their community.”
This month, Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club members will enjoy a program by Kay Boone and Patti Livingston on creative ways to feed backyard birds. Last month, Linda Hiter, butterfly enthusiast, presented a program on planting for and protecting butterflies.
