On Monday, Nov. 14, the South Valley Fleurs Garden Club attended the Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board meeting to make a $100 donation to the auxiliary. This donation was presented to Patti Rice, vice president of the Auxiliary, in thanks for the many Christmas mugs that have been donated from Hazel’s Thrift Shop over several years to the club for their annual Christmas floral arrangements. Â
The Christmas mug arrangements are distributed to those patients at Mabie Northside and Mabie Southside, as well as Whispering Pines in San Benito County.  Along with local distribution, the South Valley Fleurs Garden Club gives arrangements to the Gilroy Health Care, Hillview Convalescent Hospital in Morgan Hill, and Pacific Hills Manor in Morgan Hill. In all, about 300 Christmas floral arrangements are created by 60 Fleurs members for the distribution on the second Wednesday of December each year.
On hand from Fleurs Garden Club for the donation presentation were President Susan Houghton, Past President Sue Villanueva, Mary McCullough, Sue Lyon, Rosemary Bridwell, Diane Collins, Pat Slatten, Phyllis Lanini, Maria Grimsley, and Treasurer Sally Biersdorff. Â Absent was Julie Young, committee chair for the Fleurs Floral Fun held each December.
Thank-you’s were extended to Auxiliary volunteers, Alice and Dick Farnham, as well as Pam McHam, who oversee the seasonal stock at Hazel’s Thrift Shop.  All mugs collected during the year are stored and delivered, free of charge, to the South Valley Fleurs for their arrangements.
The South Valley Fleurs Garden Club, founded in 2001, is a nonprofit organization who’s community involvement includes their Edugrow Grant Program to assist schools to develop gardens, teaching elementary, middle school and high school children about planting, growing and harvesting their own vegetables and plants. The club also maintains gardens in Hollister at Fire Station No. 2, the Senior Garden in Gilroy at the Senior Center, and a butterfly garden at Nordstrom Park in Morgan Hill.
To those who choose to volunteer their time to good endeavors, where would our community be without you.
Happy holidays!
— Sally Biersdorff, Club Co-Founder, Treasurer
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