Some time in 1965 or 1966, members of
the garden clubs in Warren County met to form the Cardinal Council
of Garden Clubs. Prior to that there was also a Bowing Green Council
of Garden Clubs. To date, no record of the exact date has been found. A committee was appointed to create
by-laws for the federation of the Cardinal Council of Garden Clubs (of
Bowling Green, Kentucky). The first record found indicates the
by-laws committee met on October 5, 1966, at the home of Mrs. Edward
M. Pace. It was decided that the president of each club,
together with one representative from each club, would meet to read
and distribute to each club the by-laws for further adopting after
two readings. Present were:
Mrs. Edward M. Pace, Chair - Virginia Garrett Garden Club
Mrs. William F. Holt, President of Council - Virginia Garrett
Garden Club
Mrs. Guy Jenkins, Vice President of Council - Warren County
Garden Club
Mrs. Terah Flaherty, Secretary of Council - Ruth Rabold
Garden Club
Mrs. Joe Wright (representing Treasurer Mrs. Lawrence Ledford)
- Mabel Thomas Garden Club
Mrs. David Cooksey - Bowling Green Garden Club
The by-laws of the
Cardinal Council of Federated Garden Clubs were formed, discussed
and corrected, and copies given to each Club's representative to be
read twice to the respective club members.
A working copy of these by-laws can be seen by clicking
here.
The first officers of the Cardinal Council were:
Mrs. William F. Holt, President - Virginia Garrett Garden
Club
Mrs. Terah L. Flaherty - Recording Secretary - Ruth Rabold
Garden Club
Mrs. W. G. Thomas - Corresponding Secretary - Bowling Green
Garden Club
Mrs. Joe W. Taylor - Treasurer - Mabel Thomas Garden Club
Representatives were:
Mrs. Edward M. Pace - Virginia Garrett Garden Club
Mrs. Charles J. Doria - Ruth Rabold Garden Club
Mrs. W. G. Thomas - Bowling Green Garden Club
Mrs. Homer Howell - Warren County Garden Club President
Mrs. Joe W. Taylor - Mabel Thomas Garden Club
Mrs. Ardin H. Mielke - Virginia Garrett Garden Club
Mrs. Joe K. Wright - Mabel Thomas Garden Club President
Officers and representatives of the
Cardinal Council of Federated Garden Clubs met February 9, 1967 at
the home of Mrs. William Holt who presided. Club representatives
reported that Council b-laws had been read and adopted by their
respective clubs. Mrs. W. G. Thomas was appointed to be
corresponding secretary. The following committee chairmen were
appointed by the President to serve until April 1967 election:
Program Committee: Mrs. David Cooksey - Bowling Green Garden
Club
Publicity Committee: Mrs. Charles Doria - Ruth Rabold Garden
Club
Flower Show Committee: Mrs. Willard Winkenhoffer - Bowling
Green Garden Club
Ways and Means Committee: Mrs. Joe K. Wright - Mabel Thomas
Garden Club
Achievement and Awards Committee: Mrs. Guy Jenkins - Warren
County Garden Club
Projects: Mrs. Edward Pace: Virginia Garrett Garden Club
(this committee was added as it was not in the original by-laws)
Further business conducted at this meeting included a flower
arranging workshop for beginners, a permanent long-range project of
planting dogwood trees by home owners, businesses and public
property owners was to be investigated, and annual dues of 50 cents
per club member would be paid before April to the Federation.
A nominating committee for a slate of officers to start in April
1967 was appointed.
On May 25, 1967, the Council of
Garden Clubs met and the following officers were installed by Mrs.
Franklin Berry:
Mrs. W. G. Thomas - President
Mrs. Stanley Roddy - Vice President
Mrs. Terah Flaherty - Recording Secretary
Mrs. Joe Tayor - Corresponding Secretary
Mrs. Glen Dooley - Treasurer
The following were appointed as committee chairmen:
Mrs. William Holt - Program Chairman
Mrs. A. J. Thurman - Publicity and Scrapbook
Mrs. David Cooksey - Flower Show
Mrs. Williams Stamps - Ways and Means
Mrs. Charles Doria - Achievement and Awards
The Ruth Rabold and the Mabel Thomas Garden Clubs, having recently
received their charters, were approved for official entry into the
Council. A HANDS committee was also appointed.
In subsequent 1968 minutes, projects
of the member clubs included:
Beautification of Fountain Square, the airport and hospital grounds
Cleaning of
T. C. Cherry's school grounds
The Filling
Station Project at 11th and Chestnut Streets and beautification of
other filling stations
A bird bath
and feeder at the Bowling Green-Warren County Hospital
A HANDS
workshop
Establishment
of a City Beautification Commission
On October 15, 1969, the Cardinal Council held a Chrysanthemum Show
at the mall on Nashville Road. In 1971, a motion was approved for a
HANDS committee to be a permanent committee of the Council and that
the Council be a "clearing house" for the clubs, and the Council
accumulate properties for the clubs to use. A motion was approved to
sponsor an annual Christmas Show. The clubs were also active in the
restoration of the Hobson House. In 1972, part of the beautification
project included planting five pine trees along the entrance to
Hobson Grove Park. In the 1980s, new projects included Conservation
and Birds, Litter Control and Civic Improvement.
In 1975, the Mabel Thomas Garden Club
sponsored the Little Daisies Garden Club at the Girls Club. The Blue
Bird Junior Garden Club also existed at Alvaton Elementary in the 70s
and later became the Tributaries sponsored by the Two Creeks Garden
Club. In 1976, the
Bicentennial Garden Club was federated and became a member of the
Cardinal Council followed by Two Creeks Garden Club in 1989, and
Warren East Garden Club in ??.
In 1977, "This Year's Crop", the
student garden club at Bowling Green High School sponsored by the
Ruth Rabold Garden Club for several years, won two awards at the
Garden Club of Kentucky state convention.
These garden clubs
were members of the Cardinal Council and/or the Bowling Green
Council of Garden Clubs. Click the name for additional
information that has been found in records at the Houchens Center.
Virginia
Garrett Garden Club - click here
Mabel
Thomas Garden Club- click here
Ruth
Rabold Garden Club - click here
Bicentennial
Garden Club - click here
