Red Bay celebrates Arbor Day, Garden Club anniversary
March 18 was a day of celebration, good food and many memories for Red Bay. Along with recognizing Arbor Day, the city celebrated the 80th birthday of the Red Bay Garden Club.
Many prominent people spoke at the program, held at Red Bay City Hall, including Mayor Charlene Fancher, State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, Red Bay Garden Club President Missy Brandon, head of the Tree Commission Scotty Kennedy, LaVale Mills and Rosalyn Fabianke.
“This is 80 years of service, 80 years of caring. The Red Bay Garden Club has shown unlimited teamwork,” Fabianke said.
Through shared memories and recollections of the history of the Garden Club, the speakers gave examples of the teamwork that brought the Garden Club into existence and has kept it going for eight decades.
The club began in February 1937 with 12 “flower-loving and civic-minded women” who wanted to “bring beauty into the lives of its members and community,” according to Fabianke. Over the years the club has made many contributions to the community, like the “Tunnel of Trees,” streetscapes, recycling efforts, Dollars for Scholars and more.
“My heart swells with pride when I think about all the volunteers behind the scenes who work so hard to lay the foundation, the standards on which our city continues to grow,” Fancher said.
Mills, an author and former newspaper publisher, delivered a brief history of Arbor Day and presented eight decades of fashion, which consisted of various members of the Garden Club dressing up in clothing that represented each of the different decades that have passed since the Red Bay Garden Club began.
A red maple tree was chosen to be planted in Bay Tree Park in dedication of this anniversary.
