Indian Village Men’s Garden Club Upcoming Events:

2017 Gathering Schedule. All events are the third Wednesday of the month, starting at 7PM at the Iroquois Avenue Christ Lutheran Church (at Vernor).

– March, our annual community St. Patrick’s corned beef dinner, always a favorite! Invite a neighbor or friend to join the event.

– April, “Horse Power Detroit”, David Silver, uses horses as therapy for disadvantaged youth.

– May, Villager Kyle Smitley, who has restarted an elementary school at the Lutheran Church.

Centennial Garden Update

Hopefully the time you read this, a sub group of the Garden Club and the Indian Village Collections will have met with Parjana Distribution, Inc. to finalize a contract for that company’s proprietary water dispersion technology to be installed in the Centennial Garden. Finally, a solution to the swamp problem! We hope to have the installation completed this spring.

John Gallagher of the Freep did an article on this company recently, take a look here.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2015/06/27/detroit-water-infrastructure-parjana-austin/28819837/

Formed in 1982 by Villagers Joe Stanton, Alan Paul and Lee Morrell, as a garden club for both men and women, the Club has about 70 members. Most of its members live in Indian Village and West Village, but the group has members elsewhere in the Detroit Metropolitan areas as well. It started out as a garden and social club, and it still is, with members forming long-term friendships with one another. The group also actively works to improve the city-scape of the Indian Village and West Village neighborhoods, to make this a more pleasant place for all.

The Men’s Garden Club (IVMGC) has four major groups of activities:

1Give back to the community through community investment, betterment activities and support of community groups. In recent years, the Men’s Garden Club has lead in taking care of the Centennial Garden (Charlevoix at Seminole), building and maintaining the Indian Village Greenspace (Iroquois north of Jefferson), and a Street Tree Project to replant and maintain the canopy of trees over Indian and West Village – we have planted over 150 trees to date. These activities are funded through our proceeds from the Tour and also from contributions from the Women’s Garden Club.

2Provide practical, state-of-the-art outdoor space and gardening information through our regular meetings and special events. Regular monthly membership gatherings are held the 3rd Wednesday of most months and feature a gourmet potluck dinner, libations and guest speakers. Past speakers included notable garden experts such as Janet Macunovich (noted author and Master Gardener), Mil Anthony (“ A Southern Gardener” author and landscape designer), Joe Sulak (Chief Forester, Greening of Detroit), Barbra Hayes (Detroit Garden Center and Master Gardener), Dan Carmody, President of Eastern Market Corp. and many others. Even the blackest thumbs among us can learn much from these informative and open discussions.

3Membership appreciation activities include the Summer Excursion – held each year at a different and unique historic Detroit area venue; St. Patrick’s Corned-beef Dinner Extravaganza in March, Harvest Dinner at Thanksgiving time and the Holiday Party in December – an exclusive chance to mingle and dine in a historic Detroit venue. Members are informed of activities via a monthly Newsletter.

4Group members actively volunteer to host the annual Historic Indian Village Home and Garden Tour. This second oldest historic home tour in Michigan regularly brings over 3000 people to Indian Village for a look at one of the most beautiful areas in the metropolitan area. The Mens’ Garden Club shares the Tour Chairpersons spot on a rotating basis every three years.

The Board members are elected at an Annual Meeting – held at a member’s home and garden – the third Wednesday in August. The Board meets monthly to translate the ideas and suggestions of the members into action.

For more information, contact one of the Board Members, or just come to a meeting – all are welcome! To join send $18 to Tom Ball, 2984 Iroquois, Detroit, MI 48214.

2016/17 BOARD MEMBERS
Shannon Bass, President, 1st V-P
Fred Krage, 1st V-P
Marge Burns, 2nd V-P
Tom Ball, Treasurer
Mark Reynolds, Corresp. Sec’y
Dennis Dilworth, Record. Sec’y