Member Activities

Club members enjoy an annual summer picnic and holiday party and also various garden walks and outings.

McHenry 2023 Fiesta Days Parade- July 24th, 2023

For the first time, McHenry Garden Club participated with a float in the McHenry Fiesta Days parade. The float was designed and hand decorated by members with flowers and Club signs. The theme of the float was ‘Let’s grow together”. Members rode on and walked with the float, advertising the Club, what we are and do. The parade was a very enjoyable and successful experience for the club.

2023 Club Picnic – July 2023

The 2023 annual summer picnic was held in the garden of club member Sandi Kelly It was a beautiful summer evening get together where members had time to socialize and view Sandi’s garden. Then they shared food and desserts brought by members, sitting at outside tables in Sandi’s beautiful garden.

Club Members enjoying the evening in member Sandi’s garden

McHenry County College 2023 Master Garden Walk, July 8th, 2023

Several Garden Club members enjoyed an outing to tour the gardens chosen in 2023 for the MCC annual Garden Walk. The group visited beautiful gardens in Woodstock, Harvard and McHenry. A garden in Harvard also included many unique sculptures. Some gardens in Woodstock were at beautiful old houses. A great day was had by all who attended.

December 2022 Holiday Party

The McHenry Garden Club’s 2022 Holiday party was hosted by member Karen Liston at her home. Members enjoyed an evening with a “potluck” of appetizers, desserts and beverages, and good conversation. Again this year members brought donations for dogs and cats to the party, to be given to the Helping Paws Animal Shelter in Woodstock.

The donations collected at the club’s December 2022 Christmas party being delivered by some members to the Helping Paws Animal Shelter in Woodstock.

The Garden Clubs of Illinois District 1 Fall 2022 Meeting & Luncheon

October 27th, 2022

The McHenry Garden Club hosted this falls District 1 Meeting and Luncheon at the McHenry Country Club. Many members of other District 1 Garden Clubs attended. Included was a delicious lunch, socializing with other clubs and enjoying a program presentation about Savage Gardens: Carnivorous Plants. Many beautiful table and room decorations were hand made with a Fall theme by the McHenry Garden Club members.

Fall decorations made by McHenry Garden Club members

Memorial Brick dedicated to the memory of member Dorothy Kowalczyk

Dorothy was a cherished member of the McHenry Garden Club. Our group gathered together with her family on September 3, 2022, to celebrate her life. Many of us spoke about our time spent with Dorothy. We officially remembered our Garden Club Sister by dedicating a Memorial Brick in her honor. The beautiful brick is located in the Prayer Path at the Church of the Holy Apostles in McHenry.

: McHenry Garden Club Members

: Dorothy’s Family

2022 Club Picnic – July 2022

The 2022 summer picnic was held in the garden of Club President Edyta Greczek. Members brought a potluck of food and desserts to share at tables outside in Edyta’s beautiful garden. This year, a highlight of the evening was entertainment provided by Kevin the Magician. With help from some club members, we saw him preform card, hat and other magic tricks. A great time was had by all.

Club Members enjoying the evening in Edyta’s garden

: Members helping Kevin with his magic act

July 2022 Outing to Steel Heart

From top left: Jackie Homa, Linda Wood, Carol Haske, Traudl Koeberlein, Gina Dunkley, Helen Freund, Sandi Kelly, Lorraine Medford. Front: Diane Boedecker, Martha Schooley

On July 7th, 2022, some of the McHenry Garden Club members had an outing to Steel Heart-House of Seven Gables in Harvard, Illinois. The owner of the property told us some information about the house and property, which dates back to 1840. The group gathered for lunch outdoors, walked the garden and did shopping in the Steel Heart “Barn”, which had many interesting garden items for sale.

The McHenry Garden Club 2022 Yard Sale

The sale was held Saturday May 14th, 2022 and was a great success. Many thanks to everyone who came to the sale and brought something home. Your support goes to our club’s local civic projects and scholarship program.

And at this year’s Yard Sale, everyone who came could make donations to Ukraine relief. Those donations totaled $200, and was sent to The American Red Cross, applied to Ukraine Crisis 2022.

We were happy to have a visit at the sale from one of McHenry Garden Club’s recent scholarship winners, Jake Letmanski, who just finished his second year at Iowa State University. See below photo.

From left: Diane Cook. Karen Liston, Diane Boedecker, Jake Letmanski, Wanda Comein

December 2021 Holiday Party

Back from left: Club Board Members Jackie Homa, Diane Boedecker, Linda Wood, Pat Leucht, Wanda Comein, Carol Haske, Edyta Greczek. Front Center: Laurel Mayer

The McHenry Garden Club’s 2021 Holiday party was held at Harm’s Farm in McHenry, in one of their heated greenhouses. Members brought appetizers ,desserts and beverages to enjoy. Each member brought a gift and made bids in an “auction” to bring one home. It was great to be together again, since there wasn’t a Holiday party in 2020 due to Covid.

Members enjoying the Holiday Party

Member Laurel Mayer running the gift auction

Gift Table

Food Table

2021 Club Picnic – July 2021

The 2021 summer picnic was at the home and garden of Club President Edyta Greczek. Members brought a potluck of food and desserts to share at tables outside in Edyta’s beautiful garden. After members enjoyed touring Edtya’s garden, eating and conversation, there were raffles to win prizes.

Club members enjoying the 2021 summer picnic

Some photos of Edyta’s garden and the raffle prizes tables

McHenry County College 2021 Master Garden Walk, July 10th, 2021

Some Garden Club members enjoyed a day long outing to tour the gardens chosen in 2021 for the MCC annual Garden Walk. The group visited beautiful gardens in Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Crystal Lake, taking a break for lunch at a local restaurant. A great day was had by all who attended.

Members at the MCC Garden Walk

Some of the beautiful gardens that members visited at the Garden Walk

Tulip Festival at Richardson Farm in Spring Grove – May 5th, 2021

Members of the Garden Club enjoyed an outing to see the tulips at Richardson Farm. After viewing the tulips, some members had lunch together and went to the available wine tasting.

2020 Club Picnic – September 2020

The 2020 picnic was at the home and garden of member Karen Liston. Due to Covid-19 the picnic was not until September this year. Our usual large and varied potluck was replaced by individual “sack” dinners for all, and after eating and conversation, games were played to win prizes.

Members enjoying dinner

: Game prizes

: Member Sandi Kelly was one of the winners

July 2020 McHenry Garden Club Garden Walk

Various Garden Club members opened their gardens for other members of the club to visit and enjoy on July 18th, 2020, from 9:00am to 2:00pm. It gave members a chance to socialize, admire other members beautiful gardens and share ideas for their own gardens.

Members who displayed their gardens:

Karen Liston

Diane Boedecker

Jackie Homa

Pat Leucht

Carol Haske

Maureen Andrews

Edyta Greczek

Wanda Comein

Cass Becker

Laurel Mayer

From left: Edyta Greczek, Patrick Greczek, Jackie Homa, Diane Boedecker

In January 2020 the donations collected at the club’s December 2019 Christmas party were delivered by some members to the Helping Paws animal shelter in Woodstock.

December 2019 Holiday Party

The McHenry Garden Club’s 2019 Holiday party was at the home of member Edyta Greczek. Members enjoyed an evening of appetizers and desserts and conversation. This year members brought donations for dogs and cats to the party, which will be given to the Helping Paws Animal Shelter in Woodstock.

Member Edyta Greczek with our Helping Paws donations

Member Laurel Mayer made this awesome cake for the party

New club officers for 2020-2021. From left: Laurel Mayer, Edyta Greczek, Pat Leucht, Wanda Comein, Diane Boedecker, Jackie Homa, Linda Wood. Not shown: Cass Becker, Dorothy Kowalczyk

Members enjoying the party

McHenry Garden Club 15th Anniversary Celebration Dinner on September 19th, 2019

The McHenry Garden Club was founded in 2004. The celebration was held at the McHenry Country Club, with members and their guests enjoying a social hour followed by dinner and a guest speaker. Photos and albums were on display showing the many activities and civic donations the Club has had during the 15 years of the Club. Marita Sension, who was one of the founders of the club, was recognized.

Above photos are of Club members and their guests enjoying the social hour

: Marita Sension, on left is being presented a gift by member Jackie Homa, on the right

: Member Laurel Meyer made the cake that was served for dessert

: One of the windows made by member Pat Leucht to display Club photos

Outing to Al’s Arboretum in Walworth, Wisconsin in September 2019

Club members at Al’s Arboretum

Some club members took a day trip to Walworth. Al, the owner, gave us a guided tour of the various hosta varieties in the arboretum and showed us a new hosta he has developed. After the arboretum tour, members had lunch in Walworth.

August 2019

Members met at Happy Jack’s in McHenry for an Ice Cream Social and to see Ivan Dejesus , one of our former scholarship winners. We heard about his college time and job experiences. Ivan is very appreciative of the scholarships he has received from our club.

2019 Club Picnic – July 2019

The 2019 picnic was at the home and garden of member Lyn Nuk. Members brought food to share and after eating and conversation, enjoyed a pontoon boat ride on Wonder Lake, viewing the waterfront homes and seeing the sunset on the lake.