Since 1965, the Bethlehem Garden Club has worked to make the town a greener place to live. Now the group is slightly changing its focus.
“We don’t want to do traditional gardens anymore,” said Virginia Acquario, a member of the club and co-chairwoman of the group’s Community Projects Committee. “We want to focus on trees, bushes and benches to improve the overall beauty of Bethlehem.”
Over the years, the group has helped create five community gardens throughout the town. Members are continuing their work to spiff up the various entrances into Bethlehem. The group is also placing more sustainable plants throughout the community that need less care and paying for benches to be placed in more heavily populated areas.
“In the old days, people use to drive out here to go to the country so we want people to be reminded of that time,” said Acquario. “We want to make the entrances more welcoming.”
Supervisor John Clarkson said the town is now working with groups who may want to volunteer their time or the funds to help improve the Delaware and Kenwood Avenue entrances into Bethlehem. The Garden Club was one of the groups that showed an interest in forming a partnership.
“We’re trying to take some unique approaches on how we can make improvements now instead of waiting for the some of the ideas from the comprehensive plan to be implemented, which can be expensive,” said Acquario.
Town officials recently went on a walk with members of the Garden Club, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Kiwanis to see what kinds of improvements can be made to make the entrances look more appealing. Acquario said the Garden Club wouldn’t have been able to keep the group’s initiative going without the continued support from the town.
To raise money for the various projects the group supports throughout the year, the Garden Club’s biggest annual fundraiser is their Garden Tour and Plant Sale. In its 16th year, the event will be held Wednesday, June 13.
The tour includes a stroll through the town’s five community gardens and the gardens of about five or more local residents. A program booklet is provided that provides information about the types of plants that can be found, the history of the garden, and what the design or motif of the garden is. The booklets also provide discounts to area restaurants the night of the event so participants can go to dinner after.
The money raised also helps to fund the group’s Science Education Grant.
According to Sue Easton, the head of the Garden Club’s Educational Grant Committee, any school within the town can submit a proposal to apply for a $1,000 grant to enhance its environmental science curriculum. This year, the Bethlehem Children’s School won the money to help purchase equipment and supplies needed for its greenhouse on campus.
“This is important for us to support because they (the students) are our future members,” said Easton. “You have to start them young, to get them growing and caring for the earth. Then one day maybe they will continue doing it in the future.”
The Bethlehem Garden Club Plant Sale will be held Wednesday, June 13, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Delmar Presbyterian Church. The Garden Tour will be held the same day from 4 to 8 p.m. Advance tickets can be purchased by contacting the Garden Club or the day of the event at the plant sale or in the parking lot of the Slingerlands Price Chopper.
To learn more visit www.bethlehemgardenclubny.org.
