By JESSICA SPARKS
Published June 6, 2012

Garden club raises money for 25 flower baskets
SNOHOMISH - The Snohomish Garden Club rallied their members and was able to resurrect a scaled-down version of the downtown historic district flower basket program.
The club raised enough money to hang and water 25 baskets along First Street. The baskets went up Friday, May 25.
The Tribune reported in early May that the program was being suspended this year because of the cost to water the flowers. The program began years ago with up to 150 baskets, but in recent years the program had been scaled back when the city cut the employee that helped water the baskets from its budget. Volunteers tried to keep the program going but decided this year they couldn’t sustain the program.
Snohomish Garden Club president Crystal Meadows reported to the Tribune last week that the club was able to raise some money for a scaled-down version.
“This year we are taking on the flower basket project because of the passionate members that came forward plus the excellent fundraiser proceeds, generous donations, excellent volunteers, and the tightening of our budget,” Meadows wrote in an e-mail to the Tribune.
In recent years, the club has donated between $1,500 and $5,000 toward the flower basket program. The club also harvests 16,000 to 20,000 pounds of produce each year for the Snohomish and Maltby food banks. It raises money for community projects and for the Snohomish Education Foundation. The club also cleans, weeds and adds plants to the downtown gazebo.
To learn more about the Snohomish Garden Club or to become a member, visit www.snohomishgardenclub.com.