9:15 – 10 am Social Time – Meet, Greet & Eat.
Hosting Today – Sheila, Katherene, Claudia, Mike and Karen
ATTENDEES: Sandy A., Lona A., Rita B., Lisa B., Diane B., Karen B., Mike B., Jennifer B., Elizabeth C., Charlene C., Barb D., Gayle E., Donna E., Mary Lou E., Shelley F., Jan F-B., Sheila G., Mary H., Katherene K., Julie L., Leona M., Bob M., Cheryl M., Helen N., Ray P., Sandy P., Janet R., Mike R., Kathie R., Carrie S., Donna S., Diane S., Claudia T., Patti T., Marlee U., Trish W., Wendy Y.
GUESTS: Ann B. attended as a guest as well as Cheyenne and Ken F., who attended their second meeting as guests today and became members!
10:00 a.m.
Inspiration from Mike B.:
“The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.”
-Laura Ingalls Wilder
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”
-Henry David Thoreau
Speaker: Lee Petrie, a nutritional health coach from Natural Grocers. Lee talked about “The Benefits of Honey and Bees.”
Natural Grocers is the only natural food chain store that has 100% organic produce. The store was founded 71 years ago in Colorado and is still family owned and operated.
Bees find their nectar by scent, combine the nectar with their own enzymes to make honey. One hive produces up to seven pounds of honey per day. Honey contains a variety of polyphenols, vitamins, carotenoids, potassium and complex sugars and enzymes that can improve immune functioning and heart, brain, gut, skin and blood pressure health.
Lee distributed coupons for the store and will provide presentation materials and recipes to Wendy Y. to pass along to members.
Business Meeting
- Treasurer’s Report: Sandy P. reported that our current balance is $1526.90. This is independent of dues that have been collected. Only nine members have outstanding dues.
- Minutes of the May 12, 2026 Meeting: A final draft of the minutes was emailed, stands approved and was submitted for posting to the HVGC website.
- Updates:
- State Convention: Julie L. reminded members that the State Convention this year is a one-day, mini Convention on Saturday, June 27th, from 9:00am until 5:30pm. Location: The Shedd Institute, 285 E Broadway, Eugene, OR 97401.
- Website: Julie announced that a volunteer position is being added for someone to be our Webmaster. Yvonne K. has developed the website and made the on-going maintenance of the site very user friendly, entailing just a few hours per month to post announcements and photos.
- HVGC Memorial: Diane B. explained that a memorial to club members that was installed at Happy Valley Park has been vandalized and is now fenced in and inaccessible. She asked us to consider what we want to do about the memorial. A detailed history (and a photograph of the memorial before it was vandalized) is attached.
- Blue Star Memorial: Julie announced that the Blue Star committee decorated the markers for Memorial Day.
- Coffee Chat and Field Day: Our next Coffee Chat on June 23 is going to be a field trip to 7 Dee’s, 1090 McVey Ave. in Lake Oswego. There will be a talk on garden trends, and a 10% discount is extended for all sales to club members on that day. We should be there by 10:30. Those wishing to carpool should gather at “Leona’s Parking Lot” (across from her home) by 9:45. Please RSVP Wendy Y. or Claudia T.
- Announcements:
- Gold Star Marker Dedication: Sheila G. reminded members that the date for the dedication of the new Gold Star Marker has been changed to Sunday, September 27 at noon. Location: Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt Scott Blvd, Happy Valley.
- Kelso Garden Club Guest Day: Sheila also announced the next Kelso Garden Club Guest Day will be on Friday, September 25, 2026, starting at 10:30 a.m. Events include a raffle, plants, silent auction, and lunch. Guest Speaker will be Marianne Binetti. New Location: Calvary Community Church, 2655 38th Avenue Longview, WA
- Reminders:
- June 23 Coffee Chat is a Field Trip to 7 Dee’s in Lake Oswego.
- July 14 meeting will be held at Barb D’s house to see her fabulous gardens.
- September’s coffee hosts will be Marlee U., Sue G., Pat A. and Kathie R.
- Horticulture: Bob M. brought several iris bulbs from his garden to share. Call him to dig and pick up more at his home. Donna E. brought in two bouquets from her garden.
- Happy Birthday to our JuneBirthdays: 1st – Ken, 3rd – Mike R, 4th – Charlene C, 22nd – Julie, 30th – Donna E
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Lou E.
HVGC Memorial Details
In 2013 our club celebrated its 45th anniversary. As part of that celebration, it was decided to install a small memorial as a way to, in the future, honor those who were members at the time of that anniversary and who were still members at the time of their passing.
We were fortunate to have the help of Sue G’s husband, Carroll, and Lovey L’s husband, Eldon, in the construction and installation of the memorial in the Community Garden at Happy Valley Park. The club covered the cost of the original materials for the project and has continued to purchase the nameplates that are being added as needed. (The cost of each nameplate has almost doubled since 2013.)
As of now, there have been 17 names installed and there are 10 members still in the club who will be eligible to have their names added to the memorial at the time of their passing.
Several years after the installation of the memorial there were repeated instances of vandalism inside the community garden, so the city enclosed the area with fencing and secured it with a combination padlock. The combination is available at the Parks building next to the nearby parking lot. As of now, the memorial can no longer be seen by the general public as it is behind this locked enclosure.