Civic Project for 2026-2028 - Village of Howard Duck Creek Quarry Gardens
Rob Geurts is the civic projects chairperson of The Gardeners Club of Green Bay. Judy Sikora and her husband, Ken, have created a community gem for pollinators and people.
Members voted at the September meeting to give support to the Duck Creek Quarry Gardens. Judy and Ken Sikora saw the potential for a public space that could be filled with plants for pollinators and people. They began cleanup, planted wildflowers, provided benches for seating, and created areas of interest with garden art objects during the COVID years. They have donated their time and resources to create an area the whole community can be proud of. What they need the most at this time is volunteers to continue and expand on the work that has already been done. Our club came to the rescue! Rob Geurts, a garden club member, stepped up to be the civic projects chairperson, and many members have already been volunteering their time to do a fall cleanup, pull weeds, and spread wood chips to prepare for spring plantings. To see a video of the gardens, click on the following link: Quarry Gardens. Another video was created by WBAY-TV. View it at WBAY-TV Small Towns. :Photos from the gardens are below:
2025 Donations to Local Organizations from Garden Walk Proceeds
Veronica Geurts, president of The Gardeners Club of Green Bay, awarded funds to Maria Otto, Coordinator of the local Conservation Corps, surrounded by the Conservation Corps crew.
Our 2025 donations of $500 each were made to the following four nonprofit organizations:
Green Bay Conservation Corp – The Conservation Corps improves trail systems, pollinator habitats, and native habitats in Green Bay. The city secured $395,000 in funding for the program through August 2026. Our donation would go towards hand tools and increasing volunteer capacity. Maria Otto, who presented at our May meeting, would oversee this project.
Green Bay Conservation Corp – The Conservation Corps improves trail systems, pollinator habitats, and native habitats in Green Bay. The city secured $395,000 in funding for the program through August 2026. Our donation would go towards hand tools and increasing volunteer capacity. Maria Otto, who presented at our May meeting, would oversee this project.
Donation made to the Food Forest: Josh Kufahl, Seymour Park Food Forest Manager; Veronica Geurts, President of The Gardeners Club of Green Bay; LynnWalter, President, Board of Directors, New Leaf Foods, Inc.; Dillen Weist, Brown County Forest Coalition/NWTC Garden Manager
Frank B Seymour Park Food Forest Project – located at 314 S. Ashland Ave, Green Bay, and is one of the only food forests in NE Wisconsin. This project began in 2020, aims to alleviate food insecurity in Green Bay by growing local food in a sustainable manner. The fruits and vegetables are free for anyone to pick. Funds will be used to purchase fruit trees and berry bushes. New Leaf would oversee this project.
Green Bay Neighborhoods (GBN) - GBN is a non-profit umbrella organization for neighborhood associations in Green Bay. Of the 42 neighborhoods, 10 lack active organizations, leading to neglected landscaping. Funds will support purchasing mulch and plants to maintain sign areas until new associations form. Cheryl Renier-Wigg would oversee this project.
Hazelwood Historic House – 1008 South Monroe Ave, Green Bay is the location of the Brown County Historical Society & Hazelwood Historic House. Located at 1008 South Monroe Ave, Green Bay, this historic home was built in 1837 by Morgan L. Martin on the Fox River. The donation will be used to replace the entrance path, reseed the lawn, purchase plants and shrubs from the 1800s, and restore two memorial gardens. Christine Dunbar would oversee this project.
Hazelwood Historic House – 1008 South Monroe Ave, Green Bay is the location of the Brown County Historical Society & Hazelwood Historic House. Located at 1008 South Monroe Ave, Green Bay, this historic home was built in 1837 by Morgan L. Martin on the Fox River. The donation will be used to replace the entrance path, reseed the lawn, purchase plants and shrubs from the 1800s, and restore two memorial gardens. Christine Dunbar would oversee this project.
2024 - Our Donations to Local Organizations
The Gardeners Club of Green Bay conducted a garden walk of residential gardens in July of 2024. AS a nonprofit club, our proceeds are donated to nonprofit organizations to assist them with horticultural endeavors.
In November of this year, $500 donations were made to each of four local organizations:.
In November of this year, $500 donations were made to each of four local organizations:.
- Baird Creek Preservation Foundation will update the signage for an exciting new addition to the Baird Creek Trail System that goes through a prairie and overlooks three ponds.
- ADRC (Aging and Disability Resource Center of Brown County, Inc.) will update the planters in front of their building.
- The Allouez Beautification Committee to be used for plantings at the four existing Allouez Welcome Signs
- Military Ave. Business District will be adding plantings and color to two bus stops on northern Military near Mason Street.
January 2024 - Treasurer, Barb Kamps, presented a $500 check to Steve Lambert who is a volunteer at Heritage Hill. This donation is earmarked for the purchase of trees to be planted on the Heritage Hill property after the removal of invasive plants such as buckthorn and honeysuckle.
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Being a nonprofit organization, our club donates proceeds from fundraisers to other nonprofits who are involved in horticulture/gardening activities. The club membership voted January 2024 to donate $1,000 to Community Gardens for their Planting for a Purpose program. CJ Janus presented the check to Rachel Quintas, the Brown County Community Gardens Coordinator.
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Local Community Projects - Over the Years
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October 2025: Our civic project at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary has been completed having been extended by one year due to the construction projects at the Sanctuary. Club volunteers worked on September 24 and October 1, completing plantings from Stone Silo. The club has worked on projects at the Sanctuary in past years, 2009, 2014, and again beginning in 2022. Thank you to CJ Janus, club member, who served as the Civic Projects Chairperson since 2022. There were many hurdles to overcome; in particular, the wildlife trampling or eating the plants.
Corey Behnke helping with the plantings.
This memorial bench is in the name of Barbara Vandersteen, a long-time member of our garden club. Her family presented us with a donation of $1,000 to be used for the gardens at Bay Beach Sanctuary. Work has begun on this project the fall of 2023.
Here are the planters along side the Barb Vandersteen bench planted in May 2024
This was a planting of native plants in 2009.
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Planting the bunkers at the YMCA, Huron Road, Green Bay, May 2019
Plantings have grown!
September 2019
Completed work at the NEW Curative Rehabilitation Center.
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