Recognition lunch hosted by Desert Designers and Weeders Garden Club

Judy Tolbert, AZ Federation of Garden Clubs and Elinor Egender.

Judy Tolbert, AZ Federation of Garden Clubs and Elinor Egender.

Elinor Egender with Desert Designer reps, Wanda Collins, Carol Parrot and Beth Kirkpatrick.

Elinor Egender with Desert Designer reps, Wanda Collins, Carol Parrot and Beth Kirkpatrick.

Debbie Hensley

Elinor Egender was honored by Desert Designers and Weeders Garden Club members at a luncheon on September 24 hosted by member Beth Kirkpatrick. Ms. Egender received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Desert Designers and a Certificate showing National Federation of Garden Clubs, Inc. along with Arizona State Forest Services planting a Penny Pines Plantation of one acre of seedlings in Tonto National Forest in her honor.

Ms. Egender has been a member of Weeders since 1993 and moved to Utah in mid- October. During her membership she has been a two-time past president of Weeders, a life member of the Pacific Region Garden Clubs and a life member of Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs.

Ms. Egender is a native of Michigan who moved to California for several years and then moved to Arizona. After her move to Arizona she met a lady at church who talked to her about attending a meeting at Weeders Garden Club; she went to the meeting and as they say, “the rest is history!” Ms. Egender says from the time she joined Weeders she just went to work. Weeders was a much smaller version of our club of today and one of her first tasks was in recruitment of new members. Ms. Egender has always loved being with the Weeders Club members, attending meetings, going on scheduled field trips and working with the various projects supported by Weeders Club. Ms. Egender indicated her top achievement was encouraging Elin Doehne to run for President of Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs and Ms. Doehne won! Ms. Egender is very proud of this particular achievement.

I learned a passion of Ms. Egender’s has been in working on the Blue Star Memorial Project. Ms. Egender is optimistic the Weeders Garden Club Blue Star Memorial will be accomplished this year.

The Weeders Garden Club meets the second Thursday of each month, September through May, in the Navajo Room at Sun Lakes Country Club in Sun Lakes. Treats and coffee are served beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the business meeting is from 10:00 a.m.-noon. There is an interesting speaker and a horticulture presentation each meeting as well as a club money-making raffle, too!

Membership is open to everyone. Although field trips are reserved for members, anyone interested in attending a meeting is welcome. For more information about the club and to see pictures of the activities, please visit the website at http:www.weedersgc.org/home or call the Membership Chairperson, Pat Murrish at 480-802-0857 or President Debbie Dunham at 480-802-6813.