What is your New Year's resolution? How about joining the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club?
The group is a melding of two garden organizations in Romeo, the Romeo Garden Club (RGC) and the Juliet Garden Club. The former began in 1932, and the latter started in 1966. They joined together in the 2010s. Both apart and together, the garden clubs have completed wonderful projects all around the community.
One of those activities resulted in the RGC receiving a postage stamp.
The RGC maintained the gardens in front of the Romeo Post Office all year round. On September 11, 2001, a group of terrorists attacked the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. Patriotism filled the air all across the United States, especially in the Village of Romeo, that fall.
On November 5, the Romeo Post Office unveiled the "United We Stand" stamp at an event that also kicked off the sale of the Romeo Historical Society Christmas ornaments. According to the November 7, 2001 issue of The Romeo Observer, Larry Sobczak wrote how that year's annual kickoff "turned into the first official public expression on the events of September 11 because of the timing of the release of the patriotic stamp."
Alex Stubbs - the Romeo Postmaster at the time - mentioned that considering the patriotic theme of the stamp, it seemed appropirate to honor local veterans and a good time to thank the RGC for maintaining the flower beds outside the Post Office.
The photo seen above was taken at that event after Stubbs presented a framed floral postage stamp to the RGC members. From left to right, they are Ilene Lock, Carol Benn, Lois Sanborn, Diane Sapelak, RGC President Diane Bishop, and Alex Stubbs.
You can see both the picture and the actual stamp presented to the RGC members in the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club Collection, which is currently housed at the Romeo Community Archives.
Join the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club, and make a difference in the Romeo community.
To learn more about the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club, you can contact the Romeo Community Archives at rca@romemodistrictlibrary.org or call (586) 690-4890 to see the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club Collection in person. You can also check out the Romeo & Juliet Garden Club Facebook page.
Image courtesy of the Romeo Community Archives; Romeo & Juliet Garden Club Collection, 2001