speech by Jean Muir
View Royal Garden Club President 2008-2009
June 25, 2009 (Anniversary Party)

Minister Scott McLeod gave a blessing before the party.

Welcome.  Thank you to all the members of the committee for putting this evening together.  Special thanks go out to:

• Ann Fox & Heather West for their presentation of pictures and posters. What a wonderful job.
• Marilee Davies for the great slide show.
• Joyce Sturmey, our photographer – not only for tonight but all the work she does throughout the year.
• Bonnie Bacica for taking care of the PR. Watch out for a little article in the Goldstream Gazette next week.
• Sue Kelly’s mom for the food and very special Cake.
• and to all the people who sent information to make this evening possible.

After the ordeal of the war, families started getting back to normal. A handful of neighbours got together and this is how I imagine the seed was sown. In 1949 the View Royal Garden Club was formed. Everyone met once a month and the official meeting place was in the Community Hall on the Island Highway. The fee for joining the club was $1/yr per person or family, payable in January.

After a while, the meetings moved to the downstairs room of the Church Hall and eventually to the big hall where eventually 60 years later we are still enjoying our club meetings.  I am pleased to report they are still growing in leaps and bounds.

So many special members have passed away the last few years.

• Elizabeth Armstrong, a great lady who gave so much to the club.
• I have fond memories of Ernie Crockford who not only was a great gardener but he put on our Christmas Magic Show.
• Bill Walstrom – could he ever grow vegetables and prize roses!  Karen is still reaping the benefit of all the seaweed he collected every year.
• Gordon Paddon, together with Peggy, also had so much to do with the forming of the club over the years.  Their entries have been the very best.
• Ernest Barker, together with Mary, great rivals who gave so much time to the club. Bart was one of the few entries in our Men’s Division.
• Ted Underhill, another very valuable member, organizing tours for the club. One particularly memorable trip was to Hurricane Ridge. He wrote many books and was an expert on wildflowers.  Elise & Ted’s story can be found in our latest newsletter.  It’s a wonderful story.
• Merle Campbell, another valuable member. She was president many times starting in 1964 and wrote, “The 40 Years of Gardening In View Royal from 1949-1989.” You will see a copy of this on display with the rest of our memorabilia.

Without work like this, together with photographs taken over the years, we would not be able to present an evening like this.

In closing, to all our new members please think about joining our executive to help out with all the jobs so important to our shows and to help keep our club one of the best on the island.  Judges love attending our shows and give us high praise.

Once again, thank you all for coming.  I will pass the microphone to anyone wanting to add a few words.

Jean Muir
President– 2008-2009
Past President– 2010-2011
Door Prize Coordinator– 2012-present
Catering Coordinator– 2002-2007ish
a VRGC member since 1998
Jean also volunteered many times as Show Chair.  She creates beautiful flower arrangements, and can always be counted on to pitch in with the mini-arrangements for guest tables at club Shows & Celebrations

updated Jan.7, 2020