Calusa Garden Club Celebrating 40 Years

On Tuesday, December 5, Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island met at 10:00 AM at Leigh Plummer Park, along with invited city staff members, to commemorate the garden club’s 40th anniversary, and to accept the donation of a granite bench donated to the Leigh Plummer Park garden by Pam Long in memory of her husband, Ed long. The bench has this inscription: “In memory of friends and Loved Ones. The Family of Ed Long. To Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Calusa Garden Club 2023.” The dedication of the bench was attended by Pam Long, her son Rob Long, her daughter Tammy Hunt, and several of their close friends, in addition to members of Calusa Garden Club and staff of the Marco Island Department of Parks and Recreation. At the dedication, President of Calusa Garden Club Kimberly Korb Porter expressed the gratitude of the Club to Pam Long and her family for their generous addition to the new garden in Leigh Plummer Park. 

Marianne Foley and Sue Oldershaw, chairmen of the Leigh Plummer Park committee of the club, spoke to those in attendance about the new garden established by Calusa Garden Club in Leigh Plummer Park. Foley described her idea for establishing the garden as a 40th Anniversary gift to the City of Marco Island and described Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island’s long history of affiliation with Leigh Plummer Park. She pointed out a beautiful orchid that belonged to Eva Schliesser, one of the founders of Calusa Garden Club. Foley invited those who wish to remember a loved one to donate orchids or other plants to the garden in their memory. Oldershaw expressed the club’s gratitude for the support of the City of Marco Island and the community in establishing the new garden in Leigh Plummer Park. A crew of garden club members work in the park twice a month to cultivate the garden and are assisted by students from the Eco Club at Marco Island Academy. The new garden has benefited from the donation of orchids, bromeliads and other plants from club members, as well as donations of orchids from community residents Charlette Roman and Al Bismonte. Al Benarroch of Affordable Landscaping donated mulch to the garden, and other community members have made donations to support the costs of planting and cultivating the new garden.

Calusa Garden Club of Marco Island meets the second Monday of each month, October through April, at Marco Island Branch Library. If you are interested in membership, please contact the Club at calusagardenclubcommunication@gmail.com, or go to the Calusa Garden Club website, calusa.org, and click on “Contact Us.” Please visit the Club’s Facebook page, Calusa Garden Club, for news of club activities.