Angel Fire Garden Club Says, “I Know Jo”, Do You?

By Jo Mixon

This week we are featuring new Chamber members, the Angel Fire Garden Club, and on Monday morning I attended the monthly meeting. I spoke with President Diane Peterson as well as last year’s President Fannie Mackie. Organized and federated in 1991 with 14 members, the Angel Fire Garden Club has grown into the largest Garden Club in the state of New Mexico with over 60 active members! Their primary goal is to provide education and to help preserve and enhance the natural beauty of our mountain environment. But these members get down and dirty! Much of the beautification projects in and around Angel Fire are through the efforts and hard work of these dedicated volunteers. They lovingly care for three signature gardens in the Moreno Valley area; the median on North Angel Fire Rd. which they landscaped, provided the bugling elk statue through a generous donation, and continue the upkeep and maintenance; the Blue Star memorial garden at the David Westfall Foundation’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, which is dedicated to all veterans; and the butterfly garden behind the library, established in 2001 when the new Shuter Library opened.
Last year the Angel Fire Garden Club also began sponsoring the Ponderosa Pine Jr. Garden Club. It is open to boys and girls of all ages.

On Saturday, July 23rd they will hold their annual Angel Fire Garden Club Tour, Luncheon, and Silent Auction. The tour will begin with registration at the Visitor Center between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. Participants will be given maps of the gardens included on the tour. This year each garden will feature a local artist painting during the tour. Then from 12:30 to 2:00 the luncheon and silent auction are being held at The Roasted Clove. This silent auction is the Angel Fire Garden Club’s biggest fund raiser for the year. The tickets are limited, so be sure to get yours soon! You can pick them up at the Visitor Center or purchase from a Garden Club member.

For more information call 575-377-2443 or attend the monthly meeting, the 2nd Monday of the month. For locations check the Chronicle.