“ It ’ s mind-boggling how much over all the years that [ Pella ] Garden Club has had an integral part in a lot of the development and beauty of Pella ,” Cody says .
In the past , the club held other fundraisers , including Pella ’ s annual Tour of Homes ( 1963-2012 ), Summer Garden Party ( 2014-19 ) and the Fall Flower Show ( 1980-2016 ).
“ It [ Summer Garden Party ] was always very well attended ,” Cody says . “ It was something for ladies to actually do . We didn ’ t have anything for ladies to go out and have a big celebration , and we ’ d always set a theme for it . A lot of ladies would come wearing their summer garden dresses . It was just a lot of fun .”
Now , the club solely relies on tulip bulb sales for fundraising . And the process is always a blast .
“ We pack [ the bulbs ] to Dutch music in the Scholte Church ,” Summitt says . “ So you can see , it ’ s always a lot of fun .”
Last year , the club sold 27,510 tulip bulbs in 516 orders . They ship anywhere from California to South Carolina , to Utah and even Canada .
“ It used to take us a week to pack and ship the bulbs , but now that we have our system down , it takes us two days ,” Cody says . “ We use about 20 volunteers total in different shifts .”
In addition to beautification , the club provides two scholarships
Photos : Top-Left : Members of the Pella Garden Club volunteer to pack hundreds of tulip bulb orders at Scholte Church .
Bottom-Left : Tulip entries during the Pella Garden Club ’ s Tulip Time Flower Show .
Above : Members Florence Vander Meiden ( right ) and the late Patsy Sadler ( left ) in Dutch costumes during a Tulip Time Flower Show . Submitted Photos
for students at Pella Community High School and Pella Christian High School who plan to pursue degrees in some type of horticultural area , including agriculture studies .
“ What does this money mean today ? For example , in 1969 , they [ Pella Garden Club ] gave $ 5,000 to the [ Pella ] Historical Society … In today ’ s world , that ’ s over $ 40,000 ,” Summitt says . “ When you think about it , we ’ ve given over half a million [ dollars ], but when you adjust with inflation , I can ’ t imagine what that number actually is .”
More than just a club
The Pella Garden Club has given so much to the community over the years , but there ’ s more to being a member than one might expect .
Chartered in 1963 by 19 Pella women , the Pella Garden Club will celebrate its 60th year in February 2023 . One founding member , Dody Boat , is still alive .
The club is a member of the National Garden Clubs , Inc ., the Central Region Federated Garden Clubs of Iowa and Iowa Horticultural Society . Their conservation creed is a testament to their larger commitment to nature :
“ I give my pledge as an American to save and faithfully to defend from waste the natural resources of my country — its soil
10 Senior Resource Guide 2022