By Anne Marie Amacher
DAVENPORT — As the number of flower gardens and pots has spread across the Holy Family Parish campus, parishioners have come forward to adopt the gardens and care for them.
Chris Barber of the parish said volunteers have maintained the various areas, but not in an organized effort.
“There are additional areas that have been added such as the church office, the youth room and the rectory house a few doors from the church grounds. As a few of us were weeding a few weeks ago, breaking up plants and replanting, I decided that maybe other parishioners would like to offer their time and talents and would like to adopt an area.”
Parishioner Marietta Smeaton has planted the flower gardens every year. This year, Monica Overberg planted the pots and those have been adopted for the rest of the season, Barber noted.
The Garden of Peace, on the south side of the church, was donated years ago by the family of Carol Cleeton, a longtime parishioner and member of the choir. It includes the Our Lady of the Street statue and a bench surrounded by perennials, Barber said.
The flowers on the parish grounds have been donated, as well as the mulch. The school’s flower gardens are maintained by All Saints Catholic School.
Parishioners who adopt the gardens water, pull weeds, mulch and take care of the plants on a regular basis. “There seems to be a never-ending battle with the rains we’ve had this year,” Barber said, regarding the weeds.
The gardens of Holy Family and their adopters are:
Garden of Peace — Jim and Chris Barber
Church (front steps) — Randy and Mary Kay Beck
Church (flower pots) — Randy and Mary Kay Beck
Church (NW corner) — Marcia Teshak
Church (east of elevator entrance) — Mark Mirr Family
Parking lot garden — Chris and Bev Heidgerken
Boiler house — Cindy Stolley, Randy and Mary Key Beck
Youth center (back) — Robert and Roberta Pegorick
Youth center (front) — Robert and Roberta Pegorick
Church office — Jim, Amy, Molly and Grace Schebler; Bill and Nancy Osborne; and Nancy Goldsmith
Rectory — available for adoption.
Volunteers responded quickly when an announcement was made in the bulletin. Within the week, all but one garden had been adopted.
To sign up for the remaining garden, contact Barber at (563) 324-3851.
