Girl Scouts attend work day

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 10048 from Chappell did their part to help clean up Sidney’s Living Memorial Gardens this Saturday as part of the annual Living Memorial Gardens Workday.

President of the Living Memorial Gardens Association, Kathy Scripp said that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the gardens, and that the volunteers’ and the girl scouts’ help was greatly appreciated.

“This is great for getting ready for the spring season and for those who want to help out with our efforts but can’t on a regular basis,” said Scripp.

This is the first year that the second and third grade girls helped with the workday, but it wasn’t the first of their volunteer efforts this year.

“It’s been a really fun year; these girls have worked really hard,” said Kelly McNabb, troop leader and mother of one of the scouts.

The Girl Scouts that helped rake leaves and debris in the gardens this Saturday were Morrigan McNabb, Ally Jay, Shayley Nordyke, Cappi Hoeting and Ashlynn Hendie.

“I think it is important for the girls to realize the impact that they can have on the community and that they can really make a difference,” said McNabb. “A little hard work is good for them too.”

McNabb recently joined the Keep Sidney Beautiful (KSB) Board, and the brownies’ service of cleaning up the community served as the first project in the new 2013 KSB Cares program.

According to KSB Director, Cheryl Jones, “KSB Cares is a monthly project which involves community organizations that volunteer their time and efforts to help for one hour on the first Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.”

The next project will be KSB Cares Trash Day Race. Jones said that projects are decided on by the KSB board, individuals and organizations and that if any organization has an idea for one or would like to participate to contact her at 308-254-5851 or [email protected].

Scripp said that the community has always come together to support the gardens, but she will always welcome more volunteers.

“The Sidney Living Memorial Gardens (LMG) will always need more volunteers, but we are here to stay and the Living Memorial Gardens continues to be a place of beauty,” said Scripp.

The president of LMG said that the gardens were created from the efforts of one woman to save what was left of the old swimming pool in Legion Park.

A new pool was created in 1978 leaving the pool in Legion Park abandoned with “five foot weeds growing all around,” said Scripp.

In 1982, a Sidney art teacher named Jane Beran went to the City of Sidney City Council to suggest that they save the area that was once the old swimming pool.

“The City gave Jane two weeks to come up with a plan, or bids would be taken for the demolition of the pool,” said Scripp. “Jane had a vision of turning the old pool into a sunken garden. After getting feedback from the community and an idea from Helen Hiner, the plan was to have a memorial garden, thus ‘The Living Memorial Gardens’ was born.”

In November of that year the LMG Association was created, monthly meetings were held, and 700 tulips, hyacinth and jonquil bulbs were planted in the deserted area, she said.

“By summertime the sunken gardens were becoming a reality with three terraces and paths down to where the fountains would be constructed within the old swimming pool,” she said. “Membership reached 125 strong, with money coming in from the City, various clubs, memorials and individuals wanting to make this project a community effort.”

Then a tradition started that still holds strong today. Community members and organizations were able to “adopt” their own (large or small) plot at the gardens to care for. Some of the original groups were Boy Scouts, 4-H clubs and Job’s Daughters.

The gardens became a centerpiece in Sidney for community activities and events, even before the added gazebo area, said Scripp.

“In the past, older buildings have been replaced with new ones. I know as a member of LMG for the past 15 years that the vision Jane had - to keep the old swimming area a place of beauty - is alive and is enjoyed by many from across the whole United States.

“In July of 1985 the Living Memorial Gardens was a place to mark Sidney’s Centennial. With the Chautauqua here to help celebrate the event and the beauty of all the flowers that volunteers have planted, it was a place like no other,” she said.

“Then the City moved to give the gardens an annual income of $4,000 to pay for a part-time employee.

“In 1994, the Army Core of Engineers came to Sidney and put in a flood plain that ran the length of Lodgepole Creek through Legion Park,” she continued. “Not long after the flood plan was completed, Bill Forkerts, representing the Sidney Chapter of the American Legion, approached the LMG Association and suggested placing a Gazebo within the area. “

In October of 1999 the American Legion Gazebo was under construction.

Scripp said that the once abandoned land has forever since become a place for music, weddings, reunions, birthdays and graduations.

The association also holds a plant-swap every year and it is their next event they are looking forward to.

“It’s going to be our fourth Annual Plant-Swap,” she said. “We are also looking at another big project. It’s only in the beginning phase, but it is obtaining an Angel of Hope to be located in the old baby or “pixie” pool area, which will provide a place to come and remember loved ones who have passed on.”