These aesthetically and aromatically pleasing blooms are planted and maintained by the Alpena Garden Club. With more than 50 members and more than 50 years in existence, the club is happy to be back meeting in person, as they did at a June luncheon.

Many of the members are of retirement age, which has become a concern because, as we age, it becomes increasingly difficult to physically bend down or kneel to plant and maintain flower beds. Therefore, the club is always welcoming younger members.

Marilyn Bloomberg has been with the club for 10 years. She said the club is interested in recruiting “younger people and people that are interested in beautifying our city.”

She enjoys being in the club because “everybody’s got a common interest of gardening.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Alpena Garden Club members maintain sites around town, including the butterfly garden at Duck Park, seen above.

Annual dues are only $10.

“One of the reasons people join is to learn about gardening, and to make friends,” Bloomberg said. “It’s a good group of women. We enjoy it.”

Men are welcome to join, as well, but the club is made up of primarily women.

The garden club plants and maintains gardens or flower boxes at the following locations: The Alpena County Library, The Alpena Senior Citizens Center, The Michigan State Police Post, The Duck Park Butterfly Garden, the flower boxes on the 2nd Avenue Bridge, and in front of the Alpena Public Safety Building.

Cathy Cathers has also been in the club for 10 years. She is part of the group that plants and maintains the eight flower boxes on the 2nd Avenue Bridge.

“I’ve learned a lot about gardening and flowers,” she said. “And I like the social aspect, too. I’ve recruited four or five friends to join.”

Cathers and other club members also help plant and maintain the Alpena Community College flowers lining Johnson Street.

April Rondeau is the club’s Sunshine Lady.

“I know who everybody is, and I send sympathy, thank you, and appreciation cards,” Rondeau explained.

She has been in the club since 2005. When she joined, she didn’t know the first thing about gardening, but now she has learned a lot.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Pictured, from left, are club President BJ Sander, Treasurer Marion Anderson, Secretary Catherine Stedman, and Vice President Diann Gagnon.

“I didn’t even know what the difference was between an annual and a perennial,” she recalled.

The late Betty Behnke invited Rondeau to be her guest at a garden club event.

“I had to learn, and I made a lot of mistakes,” she added.

Gardeners of all levels are always welcome to join — even those who can’t keep a house plant alive. Surrounding yourself with experienced gardeners will help you become one.

“It’s wonderful,” said Geri Skiba, who has been a member of the garden club for at least 15 years. “You learn so much, and you make wonderful friendships.”

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Alpena Garden Club members maintain sites around town, including the Alpena Senior Citizens Center. Pictured in back, from left, are club President BJ Sander, Peggy Kerr, and Linda DeWyre. In front, from left, are Deloris Law, Geri Skiba, and Jacinta Boyk.

She and her group maintain the four flower boxes at the Michigan State Police Post.

Marge Granlund and Patti Martinez help maintain the flowers at the public safety building and senior center.

“We get a lot of our plants from the college,” Martinez said, referring to the greenhouse at ACC.

Granlund said the public safety officers and firefighters are very kind to them while they are gardening.

“It’s always a pleasure to work there because they’re so appreciative,” she said. “They come out and admire the flowers and bring us water.”

Courtesy Photo Alpena Garden Club member Bernie Bernie Klimaszewski plants red geraniums, the official Alpena city flower, in a box on the 2nd Avenue Bridge downtown.

“The guys come out at help us if we need help moving something,” added Martinez, who has been in the club for eight years.

She added that red geranium is the official city flower of Alpena, and that’s why you see so many of them around town. Garden club shirts also feature the red geranium on their logo.

“I really enjoy feeling a part of helping with the gardens around town,” Martinez said.

Secretary Catherine Stedman has been in the club for almost seven years.

She said the club lost membership because of the pandemic.

“COVID made it difficult especially for our older population to feel safe about doing gardening together,” Stedman said.

She enjoys learning from other gardeners.

“You’ve got some very experienced gardeners in all aspects of gardening — containers, native plants,” she said. “It’s also rewarding. You get lots of pedestrian traffic constantly telling you how wonderful it looks and what a great job you’re doing. There’s a lot of civic pride, too, in making the city of Alpena really shine.”

Susan Szczukowski said more volunteers are sought to help with some annual maintenance on the Rain Garden, next to the 9th Avenue Skate Park. The garden has been around for 12 years.

“Working on the Rain Garden is a good way to give back to the community,” she said.

To volunteer to help with the Rain Garden, contact Elizabeth Littler at eal93126@gmail.com or 989-356-4327.

The Alpena Garden Club meets on the first Monday of the month, but there is no July meeting. For location information, check upcoming Lifestyles pages in The Alpena News.

Courtesy Photo Alpena Garden Club member Bernie Bernie Klimaszewski plants red geraniums, the official Alpena city flower, in a box on the 2nd Avenue Bridge downtown.

Courtesy Photo Alpena Garden Club member Bernie Jackie Olsen plants red geraniums, the official Alpena city flower, in a box on the 2nd Avenue Bridge downtown.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley The Alpena Public Safety Building is one of the locations planted and maintained by the Alpena Garden Club.

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