Village Pines Garden Club 50th Anniversary Committee (L-R) Aundrea Tidwell, Allison Allen, Linda Shay, Kathy Edmonson, Rosalyn Halbert, Gail Harmeyer, Yvonne Becker., Not shown: Nancy Carpenter, Shirley Tebbe, Karen Nagy
1973-2023
The Pines is one of the oldest service clubs in the Village, organized in May 1973, and accepted by the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs in September the same year. The first president was Rebecca Whelan, daughter of John Cooper, Hot Springs Village developer.
The 50th Anniversary Committee, chaired by Rosalyn Halbert and committee of nine, have been working on events including the 50th celebration luncheon at DeSoto Club this fall. The Pines’ Legacy, a redo of the Coronado fountain area with new landscape and plantings, was approved by the club’s board and POA. The Legacy will become the ninth beautification project.
The Pines’ first 30 years of service included participation in the Blue Star Memorial and Veterans Memorial. Many trees were planted at area schools and the Boys and Girls Club. Balboa, East, and Glazy Peau gates were also landscaped over several years. Arbor Day was celebrated then and now with a tree planted at distinct locations in the Village. Participation in National Garden Week involved gifting plants or flower designs to local businesses and POA. Beautification at the Tennis Center included landscaping with shrubs and annuals. A donation made to the Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C., resulted in a stone paver engraved with the name of the club.
Currently, the Pines provides maintenance for eight beautification projects: Cortez Gravesite, Butterfly Garden-Ouachita Building, Urns-Woodlands Porte-cochere, Lake Balboa Pavilion, Coronado Fitness Center, East Gatehouse Entrance, Ms. June’s Garden-Coronado Library, and Arbor Day Tree Planting-location decided each year. The Ways and Means Committee annual plant sales supply funds for each project while many volunteers provide the manual work. The Village Pines Garden Club would like to thank the community for supporting our plant sales. We hope to have Mums and Poinsettias this fall and winter.
