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Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com www.TheCatoctinBanner.com The Catoctin Banner Newspaper December 2017 Page 21
Thurmont Lions Club Has Been Very Active

The “Duct Tape” that Supports the Fundraisers Wye Oak Garden Dedication

Each year, the Thurmont Lions The Thurmont Lions Club’s Wye Oak Garden was officially dedicated in
th
Club members keep saying, “another conjunction with the Lions Club’s recent 88 Charter Night. There are three
year behind us, future years ahead.” dedication markers associated with this project. The primary marker, reads:
The fundraisers are completed “Wye Oak Garden – Planted by the Thurmont Lions Club in recognition of the
th
for this year, and what another 100 anniversary of Lions Clubs International – June 7, 1917-June 7, 2017 “We
spectacular job Lions Club’s “duct Serve.” The other two markers recognize Lion Vic Jagow for sixty-one years of
tape” leaders have accomplished. Courtesy Photos service to Lionism, and Lion Robert Meunier for fifty-one years of service to
The Club owes an enormous “thank Lionism.
you” to Lion Doug and Lion Don As a part of the Lions Centennial Celebration, all Lions Clubs were urged to
(pictured right). There are no words have a Centennial Community Legacy Project. Legacy Projects commemorate our
to describe these two outstanding Centennial by making a lasting gift that will benefit your community for years
pillars of the Thurmont Lions Club, to come. One of the potential projects that were suggested during a discussion
and the community. The dedication with Mayor John Kinnaird was the planting of a memorial garden in the town’s
and attitude of these two exceptional Lions have towards the Thurmont Lions Memorial Park. The location was selected to both brighten the park and to tie it
Club fundraisers (and the Club as a whole) is astonishing. into other Thurmont Lions Club projects.
Without the dedication, leadership, and time given by these two outstanding At the same time, the 2016/2017 District 22-W Environmental Committee
members, Lions Club’s events would be much less successful. Most members was making Wye Oak seedlings available to clubs within the District to be
only see what happens the day of the event. But, there is so much planning and planted as centennial environmental projects. The “Wye Oak” was the largest
work “behind the scenes” that many members do not realize, especially for the white oak tree in the United States and the official state tree of Maryland. It fell
Community Show and Colorfest fundraisers. The Club extends a most deserving during a heavy thunder-storm with high winds on the night of June 6, 2002. Due
“thank you” to these two outstanding Lions for another year of success. to its historical significance Dr. Frank Gouin, Professor Emeritus of Horticulture
at the University of Maryland, College Park, led a successful effort to clone it,
and the state has since made seedlings available as the supply permits.
The Board of Directors decided to plant the garden suggested by the mayor
and to incorporate three of the Wye Oak seedlings into the garden, making it
both a centennial legacy project and a centennial environmental project. Due
to the lateness of this action, it was decided to make the planting of the “Wye
Oak” garden our Make a Difference Day project for the 2016/2017 year.
The seedlings were acquired in the spring of 2017, and the garden was
initially planted in May of this year. The three dedication markers, provided by
R. S. Kinnaird Memorials, were placed in the garden this fall with one marker in
front of each Wye Oak tree.