Community Projects

by Martin Gwynn

(From an interview with Jack and Eileen Routson, 4/29/2003)

During the club's early years, the City of Laramie did not have city parks experts to help the club with projects. They had no budget for shrubs, trees, or equipment. Fort Collins Nursery wasn't even around then.

In the past, the club's basic projects reflected the strong individual beliefs of various club members. Some projects were one-time projects and others continue to this day.

	1966 - Cathedral Home for Children received Christmas wreaths.
	1973-74 - Crab trees were planted at Ivinson Mansion; park benches and tables were provided.
	1975 - Trees valued at $600 were planted around the train engine at LaBonte Park. The club was one of several contributors to this project.
	1977 - The County Courthouse received $150 to plant two flower beds. For the last several years, the club has been planting and maintaining these flower beds.
	1978 - Trees were planted in Optimist Park.
	1979 - The Albany County Library received $2,000 for general landscaping. The club also bought tables, continues to maintain three flower beds, and donates gardening books to the library annually.
	1984 - Replacement trees were planted in Undine Park.
	1985 - The Civic Center received brick planters on the north side. The club plants geraniums there every year.
	1986 - The Youth Crisis Center was landscaped.
	1988 - The club provided the money for the planter at City Hall.
	1988 - The club does the planting every year at the Laramie Chamber of Commerce information caboose on South 3rd Street.
	1990 - Laramie High School had some trees planted.
	1993 - Indian Paint Brush & Spring Creek Schools were provided landscaping.
	1993 - Trees were planted along Spring Creek.
	1994 - A summer-long project was done at Kiwanis Park in which many trees were planted. This project was assisted with matching grant money.

One of the club's major projects was supplying the money and labor to do the landscaping at the Eppson Center. This project took a summer to complete. This is one of those gardens in August 2002.

Some miscellaneous projects over the years are as follows:

	Planters at the old hospital, now the police station.
	Sponsored 4-H kids, awards, home beautification projects
	Lincoln Memorial: Wildflowers
	Women's garden around statue at the museum
	Fairgrounds entrance, big trees, planters, and evergreens at the base
	Planted 20+ spruce trees east of the Edgar Lewis Band Shell in Washington Park
	Territorial Park: 13 trees & money for landscaping
	Railroad Depot: Shrubs and plants for the circular planter

The current major project of the Laramie Garden Club is the landscaping at the new skating rink. The club recently provided $3,000 to help install a drip irrigation system. These funds are being matched by another source also. Some trees will be moved from the cemetery to help in this landscaping project.

Herb Pownall provides a nursery on his place outside of town for the club to use for their projects. The club buys the trees and maintains them there to grow them larger and them moves them to the project location. There are two main trees grown on Herb's place: the Colorado blue spruce and the Cottonless cottonwood. These have been started from prunings.

The many projects that the Laramie Garden Club does throughout the year are coordinated and staffed via signup sheets and standing committees.

To: Routson Interview or FAQ

1966 - Cathedral Home for Children received Christmas wreaths.

1973-74 - Crab trees were planted at Ivinson Mansion; park benches and tables were provided.

1975 - Trees valued at $600 were planted around the train engine at LaBonte Park. The club was one of several contributors to this project.

1977 - The County Courthouse received $150 to plant two flower beds. For the last several years, the club has been planting and maintaining these flower beds.

1978 - Trees were planted in Optimist Park.

1979 - The Albany County Library received $2,000 for general landscaping. The club also bought tables, continues to maintain three flower beds, and donates gardening books to the library annually.

1984 - Replacement trees were planted in Undine Park.

1985 - The Civic Center received brick planters on the north side. The club plants geraniums there every year.

1986 - The Youth Crisis Center was landscaped.

1988 - The club provided the money for the planter at City Hall.

1988 - The club does the planting every year at the Laramie Chamber of Commerce information caboose on South 3rd Street.

1990 - Laramie High School had some trees planted.

1993 - Indian Paint Brush & Spring Creek Schools were provided landscaping.

1993 - Trees were planted along Spring Creek.

1994 - A summer-long project was done at Kiwanis Park in which many trees were planted. This project was assisted with matching grant money.

Planters at the old hospital, now the police station.

Sponsored 4-H kids, awards, home beautification projects

Lincoln Memorial: Wildflowers

Women's garden around statue at the museum

Fairgrounds entrance, big trees, planters, and evergreens at the base

Planted 20+ spruce trees east of the Edgar Lewis Band Shell in Washington Park

Territorial Park: 13 trees & money for landscaping

Railroad Depot: Shrubs and plants for the circular planter