November is here and we are now entering the final stretch of 2023!  This becomes such a busy time of year when we take time to catch up with friends and family.  We also find a reason to eat more than we normally would. Speaking of friends and eating please mark your calendars for our Holiday Party.  We are having it at the same location as last year,  The Redwood Room, Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Ave, Redwood City.  I will be sending out more information soon.

Many of you have not been involved with our volunteer work at Catherine Brennan Memorial Rose Garden, located at Red Morton Park, in Redwood City.  I only send updates to those members on our rose garden volunteer list because I don’t want to load up your email boxes with topics that don’t necessarily pertain to you. 
 

I am very thrilled with our progress at the garden, so here is the update. The rose garden has approximately 300 roses and we have been working there since September 13th, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 9am to 11am.  Our member, Scott Morton, is leading this program.  He also has transported mulch and fertilizers donated by Lyngso Garden Materials, located in San Carlos.  Many people walk through this garden while we are there and have complimented us on our efforts to improve the garden. If you’re interested in joining this group please let me know and I will include you on workday updates.

While we were working in the garden back on October 11th, we discovered a plaque, under some ground cover, that read “Catherine Brennan Memorial Rose Garden”.  Everyone always refers to this garden as, “the rose garden at Red Morton Park”.  I looked up information on this lady and found the following: 

Catherine Brennan was a member of the Redwood City Park and Recreation Commission from 1952 to 1964.  She proposed developing a municipal rose garden in 1959 and chaired the committee that started planning the project.  Brennan was also the first chairwoman of the committee for the annual Spring Flower and Art Show, which began in 1960.  She passed away in 1966, two years before the rose garden that now bears her name was completed.

After having read this about Catherine,  I am so glad that our society is finding the time to provide the added attention that this garden needs.  I hope to continue this program for years to come. I also thank all our members that are on the “rose garden volunteer committee”.

Don’t miss our November 21st membership meeting. Our featured speaker will be rose hybridizer, Dave Bang. We will only cast his talk via Zoom and I will send everyone the link a couple of days before the meeting. We will not be meeting at the Veterans Center.

I look forward to seeing all of you, at some point, this holiday season so stay well and enjoy this beautiful time of the year.  We are all so fortunate.

Judy Webster