GBU Financial Life is a 127 year-old not for profit fraternal benefit society.  One of the benefits is that each year they will donate $10/hour up to 15 hours of volunteer work by a member for a qualified non-profit organization.   Mark Seder, being a member of GBU Financial and the Tuckaleechee Garden Club, qualified for this donation based on his work on the Townsend River Walk and Arboretum in 2019.  A total of $150 has been donated to the Tuckaleechee Garden club for his efforts.  Let's all give GBU Financial and Mark a big thank you for this donation.  This is the second year in a row for a total of $300 donated, so far, by the GBU.

Mary Blount DAR Chapter Donates a Cherokee Princess Dogwood

Our 2nd dogwood has been planted on the upper path of the TRWA just down from the Roadside Specimen Garden. The "Cherokee Princess" Dogwood that is planted thru a donation by the Mary Blount DAR Chapter. Mark Seder planted this 1.5 in diameter, 9 footer on Thursday December 26th, 2019 and placed a temporary marker until we place an order for additional anodized aluminum markers. It is a beauty and will be ready to bud in the Spring of 2020. Special thanks to Charlotte Miller, a DAR member, for obtaining this donation. 

Stop by and take a look at the two recent dogwood additions.  They can be seen from US Route 321 just down from the Roadside Specimen Garden.

Cherokee Brave Dogwood Planted in memory of Ron Byrd

We are in the process of planting a few Dogwoods on the upper path of the TRWA just down from the Roadside Specimen Garden. The first is a "Cherokee Brave" Dogwood that is planted thru donations in memory of Ron Byrd, who passed away this year. Mark Seder planted this 1.5 in diameter, 9 footer on Sunday December 15th, 2019 and placed a temporary marker until we place an order for additional anodized aluminum markers. It looks great and is the first of at least three that will be planted.

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

Volunteers for the December 7, 2019 - Invasive Plant Removal.  A big thanks to them all!

A beautiful day spent with a great group of volunteers!  Thanks to each and every one of them.  Additional pictures and information will be posted soon but could wait to say THANK YOU!

Mary Blount DAR members attending the "Cherokee Princess" Dogwood dedication from left to right: Valerie Hendrix, Caroline Baxter, Mary Ann Bowery, Wanda Taylor, Myrtle James, Donna Nuchols, Charlotte Miller, Mary Nell Clevenger, Janie Bitner, Martha Daugherty, Betty Jo Grubb Waldo, and Mary Jo Ballew(not pictured).

Members of the Mary Blount DAR held a dedication ceremony for the "Cherokee Princess" Dogwood that was planted with money donated by the DAR.  Money was also contributed by the DAR for the tree sign which will be installed this summer. 

The "Cherokee Princess" Dogwood is about 8 ft tall and loaded with buds, ready for Spring blooming.  This dogwood is disease resistant and will produce large clusters of white flowers in the Spring.

The Townsend River Walk and Arboretum, manged by the Tuckaleechee Garden Club, gives a big THANK YOU! to the Mary Blount DAR for their contribution.

Wildflower Seeds Planted on Hillside by Pollinator Garden and More!
A big thanks to Mark, Allison and Rodney.

The hillside opposite the Pollinator Garden doesn't look like much now, but wait until Spring.   On Wednesday December 18, 2019, Allison and Rodney Pearson along with Mark Seder planted several pounds of wildflower seeds on this hillside as well as along the river side of the Greenway(top trail of TRWA) from end to end of the Arboretum. 

The hillside was hard raked in both directions to remove any loose grass, leaves and weeds.  Large amounts of Eyonomus vines, that by the size of them have been there for 10 - 15 years, were also pulled up.  The seeds mixed with sand were spread on the hillside then walked on to set into the ground.  Allison and Rodney provided two large tubs of Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed susan) plus a few other goodies.  Most of the Rudbeckia was spread from the top of the hill to the Roadside Specimen Garden and then to the other side of the Roadside Garden.  

If this produces like we are hoping there will be an abundance of wildflowers that will draw attention to the TRWA and provide our pollinators and birds a great source of pollen and food that will last for many years to come.

The invasive plant removal that took place on December 7, 2019 was sponsored and promoted by Keep Blount Beautiful, Little River Watershed Association and the Tuckaleechee Garden Club.    The weather was perfect for December with temps reaching the upper 50's.

24 Volunteers from Maryville, Walland, Townsend, Knoxville and Alcoa provided the workforce for on the the largest invasive removal efforts to date. We worked on removing: Bush Honeysuckle, Eyonomus and English Ivy.  Also a little privet was pulled.

In total we finished with 17 trash bags of Eyonomus and English Ivy and well over a half ton of Bush Honeysuckle.

The Tuckaleechee Garden Club provided a perfect picnic lunch and Mountain Ridge Way Products donated a special labeled Wildflower Honey bear for each volunteer.

It was a great day to work, meet new friends and enjoy the beauty of the Townsend River Walk & Arboretum.

Pictures provided by: Keep Blount Beautiful, Theresa Schehr and Mark Seder.

Ensure the continued operation and enhancements to the Townsend River Walk & Arboretum by making a small donation.

The River Walk and Arboretum only funding comes from donations and the annual plant sell hosted the Tuckaleechee Garden Club.  

Your small donation goes a long way along with a small group of volunteers to help Maintain, Protect and Enhance this Blount County, TN Treasure.