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More growth in sight at Community Garden
Garden check
Gratefully accepting a grant to enhance the growing space at the Oakdale Community Garden during a recent check presentation ceremony were, from left, Jasmine Su, Robert Guzell, Rachel Bahn, Gary Jones, Bill DiChristina, Delores Everton, Karen Paterson, Nancy Podolsky, Billie Scott, and Lauren Dutch. Photo Contributed

It’s a new season of possibilities for the Oakdale Community Garden, as the group overseeing the project was awarded a grant this week from The Stanislaus Senior Foundation.

Gary Jones, Chair for the Community Garden, applied for and was awarded a grant of just under $1,000 to help build a number of taller boxes to add to the Community Garden.

“We invite everyone to check out the community garden this year and see the amazing transformation that has occurred here,” noted Oakdale Garden Club President Lauren Dutch. “We also have a few plots and boxes available for people to rent for the 2024 season. The Club is incredibly grateful to be awarded this grant and look forward to watching things grow in 2024.”

The Community Garden, on the north end of Oakdale, is an offshoot of the Oakdale Garden Club (OGC), which was established in 1909. Oakdale Garden Club is a member of California Garden Clubs, Inc. and the Valley Lode District. OGC meets monthly – except for January and July – on the third Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Community United Methodist Church, 1480 Poplar. Each month features a speaker related to gardening interests.

“Membership dwindled to six members and was revived several years ago to a current membership of 60,” explained club member Nancy Podolsky

OGC members are involved in many monthly community activities including civic beautification, maintaining the downtown planters, the cowboy statue planter adjacent to the Oakdale Cowboy Museum, the Blue Star Memorial Garden at the post office, and the peace officer memorial garden.

“The biggest project of OGC is the Community Garden next to the Senior Center and senior apartments with raised garden boxes and in ground garden beds community members and seniors can rent by the year,” Podolsky added. “The garden was enhanced last year with a Love Oakdale project of the largest mural in Oakdale.”

Coming up on Saturday, April 20, a plant sale is scheduled at the garden with a large variety of plants, garden art, pots, and more for sale.

Also, the Garden Club’s annual fall garden tour in October of local home gardens raises funds to support the group’s ongoing activities and high school scholarships.

The recently received grant funding will be put to good use this spring, as the club members look at expanding the available growing space at the site.

Anyone interested in being a part of Oakdale Garden Club is encouraged to come to one of the monthly meetings.