Members of the San Saba Garden Club gathered at the clubhouse in Mill Pond Park at 11 a.m. on January 3, 2012, for their regular monthly meeting. This meeting was special in that it was the celebration of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the club. On the first Friday of January 1936, a large group of ladies gathered on the third floor of the courthouse to discuss the organization of a garden club in San Saba. Alma Ward Hamrick had invited several ladies from the Brown-wood Garden Club to outline what was necessary to form a Federated Garden Club. The club was organized the next Friday and met twice a month year round. Fannie Dofflemeyer was the first president and annual dues were fifty cents. At first there was no wonderful clubhouse so the club met in homes, the courthouse or in the basement of the Methodist Church.As is true with any organization that survives over an extended period of time, there have been many changes to San Saba Garden Club. Now we have members from as far away as Mason and Lometa and annual dues have increased in proportion to everything else. Since the fifties, we have had our own meeting place, which gets better with each influx of talent. And most of the members actively garden! We continue to have great appreciation for those who had the foresight to establish this club. On December 10, 2011, a marker was placed on the southwest corner of the clubhouse in honor of Mrs. Hamrick. She was one of the organizers of the club and was also instrumental in saving the clubhouse from the wrecking ball! Stop by and read the marker – it speaks volumes about her life and legacy.Ann McElroy, our current president, called the meeting to order. Following the invocation, collect and creed, Secretary Sherie Clarkson called roll with 19 members present. Reports included our Tour of Homes in December, with thanks to all who participated. Several upcoming projects – the gardens at the Senior Center, the Butterfly Garden at the new Nature Park and the Master Gardener course that is being organized – were also discussed. A lovely birthday luncheon of soup, salad and birthday cake was prepared and served by hostesses Sherie Clarkson, Marcia Chown, Pat Belk, and Fran Hulgan. Those present to enjoy the day were: Sherie Clarkson, Patricia Warren, Fran Hulgan, Noma Fitzgerald, Anna Wilson, Sharon Hayes, Sandy Kuyken-dall, Becky Moore, Pat Belk, Jamie Brister, Imogene Hawkins, Trish Fullerton, Ann McElroy, Marcia Chown, Marcie Cooper, Jeanne Sauer, Gail Bruner, Debbie Shahan, and Clione Rochat.