Local Girl Scouts and “Rosie” Anna Hess plant a pink dogwood.
Photo by Mandy Timmons-Lewis.
May 14th was a big day at the Botanic Garden. We cooperated with Thanks! Plain and Simple, the Black Diamond Girl Scout Council, and local Girl Scouts to plant a pink dogwood tree honoring Rosie the Riveters, women whose work on the home front was crucial to winning World War II. We also inaugurated our Welcome Center, quickly realizing how wonderful it was to be inside when it rains. Counting all our volunteers, we had about seventy in attendance, including girls from Troops 51562 (Mandy Timmons-Lewis, leader), 51544 (Lisa Giblin, leader), and 51537.
The program began with a welcome by Bill Johnson. Megan Sheets explained “The Importance of the Rosies,” while Lexi Wright talked about “Today’s Importance.” Haiden Vessechia, Julia Mertz, and Avery Malone introduced local Rosies Pauline Everetts, Anna Hess, and Jean Malone, Avery’s great-grandmother. Dalya Johnson explained the meaning of the dogwood tree. Daniel Davis, assistant director of member support for the Black Diamond Council, did his Eagle Scout project at the Garden and explained the role of the Girl Scouts in this effort. Then, at 1:00 p.m., the rain stopped long enough for us to go outside to watch the Scouts and Rosies plant the tree next to the Welcome Center, joining Girl Scouts and Rosies in Buckhannon, Grafton, Huntington, and Vienna, West Virginia, and in Winchester, Kentucky; Brunswick, Maryland; and Camden, South Carolina, with simultaneous plantings. Back inside, the Rosies offered brief comments, and Bill Mills concluded the program. We then enjoyed refreshments while out on our spacious deck.
More information about “Thanks!” a 501 (c) (3) organization can be found at www.thanksplainandsimple.org.
By: Barb Howe
Originally published in our Summer 2016 newsletter