Q&A with Janice Mohr

Residence: Byron

President: Village Green Garden Club of Byron

Q: Your garden club seems more than a "come over, let's repot some flowers at my house" type of group. How did that come about?

A: We started in 1965, 50 years ago, with the idea that Byron needed beautifying. At the time, the city was all torn up getting new lights and gas lines. Weeds had grown all along the railroad tracks downtown. There were about 17 members at first and they had to wait until construction finished the next year to get started, but from the beginning we've had community service in mind. We've worked with different civic groups and people on a great many projects through the years.

Q: Has that defined the club?

A: It was always our intention to plant trees and do things to beautify the community but our defining moment was in 1973 when the club got involved in providing care for the Byron cemetery. It was overgrown and in real disrepair with no real, defined entrances.

Q: What did you do?

A: The ladies and the mayor and city attorney set up a city cemetery trust and started accepting donations. They achieved their initial goal of $3,000 and invested it and started making improvements and used the interest on the money for maintenance. Over the years it grew, and we were able to do some wonderful things to make it nice. Of course the trust took a big hit a few years ago when the economy went down.

Q: The city owns the cemetery?

A: Yes. Until three years ago the club handled everything. When the economy went down the club turned the cemetery back over to the city for maintenance, but we still do things there.

Q: Like what?

A: We took some of the accumulated money out in 2014 and resurfaced streets in the cemetery and put wrought iron fencing up on two sides. We created brick-lined flower beds at the entrances and there's been a flagpole installed. Also, we came up with guidelines for use of the cemetery, which there had never been before. The city adopted the guidelines.

Q: You did a lot in 2014.

A: And we won a first place award in 2015 from the state garden club for our efforts.

Q: Do you have ongoing plans for the cemetery?

A: In May, we'll install a Blue Star Marker at the base of the flagpole. The city is helping to install the base for it. The marker is part of national program that started after World War II, and there are markers along highways in every state. We're also working on more road improvements and putting new plants and additional brickwork around beds. The city's adding lights to the flagpole and water to the gardens. We also have plans to beautify our I-75 exit. Plus, we're working with Tiffany Peavy at the welcome center to use grant money she has to make a walking trail from Main Street to the cemetery. She's working on a brochure for a little self-guided tour of the cemetery that should be interesting.

Q: That's a lot, and again, community focused.

A: We do work to enhance our own gardens and learn how to design gardens and arrange flowers. We are interested in personal growth but our main attention goes to the town and not just the cemetery. We have quite an active club. The current president of the state club, Martha Price, is from our club. She's had a big impact on us as has Sandra Walker, who's been the guiding force behind the cemetery projects.

Q: What are some community projects aside from cemetery work?

A: We've put beds at North Peach Park and at the fire station. Those projects come to mind. We're planning to sponsor some volunteer cleanup days in the future. We're very excited about a big focus now for our club and state and national clubs on pollinators through programs like Bee GAP and promoting education on butterflies and plants to attract them. There's also a program about frogs.

Q: Frogs?

A: Yes. What they need, how to protect them and not hurt them. We have books and materials we've given to schools and the library about these things. Interestingly, Sandra Walker has been a bee-keeper for 58 years. She's the state garden club chair on bees, and she travels around the state doing programs on how to attract bees to your yard. Bees and butterflies. We'll be making butterfly gardens around town at North Peach Park, the hospital, maybe the cemetery. There's a lot more emphasis on the environment in what we do now.

Q: When do you meet?

A: Our website, www.villagegreengardenclub.com, has more information, but we meet the second Thursday of the month at 10 (a.m.).

Answers may have been edited for length and clarity. Compiled by Michael W. Pannell. Contact him at mwpannell@gmail.com.

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 10:01 PM with the headline "Q&A with Janice Mohr ."