SAUGUS — If you wandered into Town Hall Wednesday night, you’d be met with women wearing large, stylish sun hats welcoming people to the annual Saugus Garden Club Fundraiser. However, this year’s fundraiser was pretty special as it marked the 80th anniversary of the Saugus Garden Club.
This year, Kathy Leva was the guest speaker. Leva is a Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Master Flower Show judge in Floral Design and Horticulture. She has also participated in the Boston Flower Show, Newport, Rhode Island Flower Show, as well as the Topsfield, Marshfield, and Tower Hill flower shows.
Club members lined tables with refreshments and some even brought plants for the raffles.
Members gathered in the auditorium, filling their plates with goodies to enjoy during the presentation. Before the speaking portion began, they wandered around looking at some of the items that were being raffled. Leva also brought flower arrangements that would go up for auction.
Co-President Donna Manoogian began the night by welcoming everyone to the fundraiser. She introduced her co-president, Lorraine DiMilla, thanked members of the garden club, those who helped set up the room and brought refreshments and Town Manager Scott Crabtree. She also thanked the members who brought the raffles.
“Thank you all for coming tonight. This is the kick off for our 80th anniversary,” Manoogian said. Upon the announcement the club members erupted in applause. Manoogian also thanked the members of Saugus Action Volunteers for the Environment as the club partners with them often.
During Leva’s speech, she showed the crowd different ways to make flower arrangements, explaining the different techniques as well as where she likes to buy some of her vases, flowers and tools.
At the end of the presentation, Leva left the club with this message, “Garden club presidents have a hard time recruiting people… It’s time to help out and say I can do something. You don’t have to be really good at it.”
At the end of Leva’s presentation Manoogian returned to the front of the room to begin the auction, announcing that club member and Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta would be the auctioneer.
