Like most everyone else, the coronavirus pandemic has ground our activities nearly to a halt. Meetings were cancelled April and May 2020, and the group has decided not to resume until January 2021. A yearbook is being drafted with updates and cancellations put in place due to Covid-19. Avoyelles Parish was affected by high winds and some damage from Hurricane Laura, but the worst of the storm stay just west of us. We extend our prayers out to all who suffered from effects of the storm. While cleaning up, one of our members, Polly Campbell, sent out this prayer and message: This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and clean yards in it! I’m separating debris: Limbs-to burn Leaves-for compost Pine needles-for mulch If you’re willing to bag your leaves instead of burning them, I’ll be glad to add them to my compost! Let’s be Green & Clean!
Activities
MGC has continued some efforts that had already begun pre-pandemic and before the storm. The Marksville Welcome Sign that was landscaped by MGC got some sprucing up in June by some of our members and a city worker, applying more mulch and weeding. Town of Marksville Welcome Sign after summer spruce up by MGC members in June. Some of the members took advantage of a virtual tour presented by the LSU AgCenter of Windrush Gardens at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens in Baton Rouge on August 5. The tour of the Gardens by director Jeff Keuhny gave us an inside look of some wonderful landscaping and also the family that donated the property. Since we couldn’t travel at the time because of the pandemic, it was a welcome presentation that we could watch online. MGC members have continued to maintain the planters surrounding the downtown Marksville Courthouse, and much like other gardeners, have utilized the extra free time to beautify their own home landscapes.
MGC President DD LaMartiniere shared African Iris, Obedient Flower, and Spearmint plants and cuttings with fellow members during the summer.