Community Betterment Garden Club oldest in the country in 1932

The Caribou Garden Club is the oldest of its type in the county. It was established in 1931 and became federated in 1932.
Its interest is in nature, which falls under the categories of: community betterment-beautifying by planting shrubs and flowers; conservation of land, water and wild life; hospital therapy through service, flowers and Christmas wreaths; birds; books pertaining to nature and gardening and flower arranging; horticulture and flower arranging. Meetings each year include reports, demonstrations, workshops and special speakers on these subjects.
    In community betterment, the club has taken an especially active interest in the Nylander Museum and the library. For the museum in 1939, the garden club made the dedication arrangements. After that for several years it filled window boxes and in 1942 set out some shrubs around the building which it added to later (1962).
In 1948, the members assumed the responsibility for care of the museum and Monument Park’s lawns. In 1962, the club purchased urns for the museum and since that time have kept them filled with flowering plants during the summer months. The members assumed the responsibility of planting and caring for flowers in front of the monument in 1957 and have done this every year since.
For the Caribou Public Library, the garden club bought urns in 1941, in which members have planted flowers every year. They have also provided annuals and perennials for the grounds. In 1965, an addition on the library was completed and the Town of Caribou asked the garden club to landscape the grounds, which it did with the help of a landscape gardener and funds provided by the town.
The plans were entered in the Sears Roebuck Civic Beautification contest and won a $100 award. This money was used to further beautify the library grounds, evergreens and flowers being planted where they could be viewed from a large picture window in the library. Inside the library, the club has contributed to reading material. In 1957, it established a shelf of books relating to gardening and flowers to which they have added during the years. As early as 1942, the club bought a subscription to “Nature Magazine,” which was renewed until 1959. At that time, the subscription was changed to “Natural History Magazine,” which the library still receives.
Community projects also include help given in landscaping Teague Park in 1940, and planting of flowers there for several years. In the days of band concerts in the square, the Garden Club planted petunias in boxes on the bandstand (1945-46). One of the club’s latest projects (1966-67) is the three boxes in front of the post office which are filled with petunias. Flowers have also been planted in Floradale Park by some of the members. Several flower arrangement classes have been sponsored by the club.
The Caribou Garden Club has been active in hospital service, giving annual donations to the state hospital service fund for garden therapy work at Togus Veterans’ Hospital. Locally, in 1952 through 1955, they provided flowers and favors for patients in Loring and Presque Isle base hospitals on special holidays and for 13 years made Christmas wreaths for the patient’s rooms at Loring.
Wreaths are also provided for the doors of Cary Memorial Hospital and the Caribou Public Library. The club provided some receptionists for the hospital in 1949 and had a booth for the Hospital Auxiliary Fair in 1962.
The club has always endorsed plans for conservation of plant and wild life. It has conducted an anti-litter campaign with radio and television announcements and posters; endorsed the state’s “billboard free highways” campaign. As early as 1938, the club sponsored a campaign for more beautiful roadside development and conservation of natural beauty in the county. Among others, it has entertained speakers on the Allagash project, the Dutch elm disease, water pollution and the state conservation chairman.
`The Caribou Garden Club has participated in many community activities not yet mentioned. To list a few: it sponsored candidates for queens of winter carnival and potato blossom festival; it took part in the Caribou Centennial pageant and supplied Christmas boxes for needy families. In 1966, the members sponsored Mrs. Ernest Smith as an “Outstanding Young Woman of America.” Mrs. Smith was a winner. Also winners the same year were James Briggs, whose name was submitted by the club to the Chamber of Commerce as the Outstanding Senior Citizen and Quentin Warren, Outstanding Junior Citizen.
Organizations that have received donations from the club include Girl Scouts, Cancer Fund, Little Wanderers, Crippled Children’s Hospital in Bath, Togus Veterans Hospital, State Hospital Service, Pineland and band parents.
Approximately 18 flower shows have been held by the club. The show held in 1963 received an outstanding rating by the State Garden Club. In 1959, the flower show was in conjunction with the Caribou Centennial and its title was “Our Town.”
Through the years there have been several horticulture shows and Christmas sales, two colonial teas, an antique china exhibit, ceramics exhibit and lessons in ceramics. Since 1961, the garden club has exhibited at the Aroostook State Fair (Northern Maine), receiving first place three times for flower arrangements.
The club has entertained the State Garden Club several times at state conventions, has taken its turn hosting district meetings and has had good representation at meetings elsewhere.