By Haley Mitchell-Godwin

A reorganization of the Brantley Garden Club is on the horizon. The goal of the club, originally founded in 1935, is to be an active part of the community that aids in the beautification of the town, with the hopes of retaining members, old and new, and increasing memberships.

Group reorganizer Pamela Campbell of Brantley said that the club is a project-oriented group that takes into account the busy pace of modern life.

“Everyone is so busy these days,” Campbell said. “Some members can and want to do more and others just don’t have room on their calendars for quite as much, and that is quite all right. Everyone is needed and everyone is welcome. We want to take on tasks that aren’t overburdening like being responsible for a pot of flowers at the school or maybe town hall or the post office. We could have teams that keep the Brantley Park area neat and tidy or cemetery cleanup teams that help with a biannual cleanup. There are a lot of small things we could do that can make a big difference and I am hoping members will bring their ideas with them to the meetings.”

Rachael Norman of Dozier, a local small-business owner, has children that will soon begin attending Brantley School. Norman would like to see some opportunities for local women of all ages to be involved in civic groups, including the garden club.

“I haven’t really done any gardening before, but I am always up for participating in new things that are good for the community. I’d love to learn about gardening, and I think any kind of civic group helps to create some positive movement. We have a lot going on here and I am all for anything that bolsters our growing community. Having an active garden club may seem insignificant to some, but in reality, these kinds of groups really support and back the community and help foster a beneficial feeling of unity.”

A meeting to discuss the reorganization and ideas for the club will be held Feb. 21, 4 p.m. at Ft. Dow Sport (Brantley Armory). If interested in becoming a member of the Brantley Garden Club or for more information call Pamela Campbell at 352-406-4732 or email engtchrpam@aol.com .