Dear Editor,
About 21,201 hours of simply hard volunteer work representing nine community areas (including Vankleek Hill, Russell and Maxville) for District 1 of the Horticulture Clubs in Eastern Ontario, encouraging gardening, community beautification, environmental stewardship, and conservation. Bursaries are donated to schools, trees are planted, and citizens learn new skills. What is that worth if you presented a bill to your local municipality?
Congratulations to the Vankleek Hill & District Horticultural Society for hosting the District 1 Annual General Meeting Saturday, April 18, 2026. A year’s worth of planning and collaboration. The event was top drawer. Professional. Captivating and flawlessly executed with every detail embraced.
Horticultural societies may apply for a $1,500 centennial grant once they have existed for 100 years and meet a few other criteria. Vankleek Hill’s anniversary was in 2007 and received the grant in 2025. Our club clocked in at 1,879 hours in 2025. They earned every penny.
Ida Everest
