EAST PALESTINE – The Town & Country Garden Club of East Palestine held its monthly meeting last Monday, with 23 members present. President Darlene Exposito invited everyone to get their snack, sign the roll call sheet and read last month’s minutes, until the meeting was called to order. Vice President Diana Holzer said the blessing over the snack, which was prepared by Theresa Rutledge, Michelle Telischak and Laura Garvin.

The meeting was then called to order with everyone standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Following the pledge, the minutes were approved unanimously with no additions or corrections. Susan Dellavole gave the treasurer’s report, which was also approved unanimously. Corresponding Secretary Aubrin Strohecker reported that she had sent four birthday cards, and received a Thank You card from the Caring Hands Food Ministry.

Committee reports were then presented, with Darlene Linert, chair of the Civic Committee, giving the update on the fall planters and home tour decorations. The watering teams will be removing the gourds and pumpkins, and decorating the planters with white pine and large pine cones, along with switching the fall flags to Christmas flags. Dellavole, chair of the Ways and Means gave the update on the ticket sale for the meat raffle, we sold every ticket we had printed. The tickets were shuffled in the “tumbling drum” with the winning ticket then drawn. The winner was Nicole Thompson of Lisbon. Yard of the Month chair, Exposito, read the article from the newspaper which announced JoAnn Bosley and Billy Garrett’s yard of their West Martin Street home was recognized for October. The chair of the Home Tour Committee, Pam Figley, reported the status of schedules, arrangements, plans for the upcoming home tours, that will be held Nov. 8 and 9. Flyers were given to members to hang up around the area. Club members also folded the tickets for the event.

Under old business, discussed was the pathway stone we purchased from the E.P. Memorial Library. Member Lynn Guy volunteered to do the paper work necessary for this. A date and time was discussed for decorating a garden themed tree that will be on display at Bea’s Insurance Festival of Trees, during the home tours and through the Snowflake Festival. Strohecker volunteered to locate a caterer for the December meeting which is the Christmas dinner. Outing plans were discussed for possibly going to see the Nut Cracker Display in Steubenville in early December. Kathy Byard, chair of Publicity, reported on the cost to advertise in the various newspapers in the area, and members decided they will add advertising to the budget for next year. Nominating committee chair, Bonnie Davis, announced that the current officers agreed to keep their positions for the new year.

Laura Garvin and Telischak of the Horticulture Committee presented Fall Gardening Tips, along with the reminder to change batteries in smoke and CO2 detectors, as well as the filters in the furnace.

Next month’s meeting will be held 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at the First Church of Christ, where members will be filling baskets for the local nursing homes and shut-ins. As always, new members are welcome.