~ Pleasant Valley Garden Club History ~
Pleasant Valley Garden Club began at the Camarillo Community Pool in 1989. Several Camarillo gardeners--some being members of the Conejo Valley Garden Club, located some twenty miles east--discussed forming a local club with state, regional and national associations. They wanted to put the fruit of their labor to work in Camarillo. A constitution was written and Conejo Garden Club gave the fledgling group their blessing along with $100 as seed money... and the Pleasant Valley Garden Club was up and running!
What began as a group chatting at the community pool evolved into an organization of committed gardeners who share their expertise and continue to learn about conservation as well as gardening. At the same time members make a positive contribution to the "pleasant valley" which is Camarillo California. Camarillo, is located in Ventura county, Approximately 50 miles north west of Los Angeles.
The club is a non-profit organization that has monthly and yearly fundraising projects that make cheritable donations each year. A few of the donations are: Adolfo Camarillo High School, Agriculture Department/FFA, Mission Blue Project, Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Project, Teacher Grants as well as the Pleasant Valley Recreational and Parks, Camarillo Grove Nature Center, Community Endowment Fund, Taft Gardens, Ojai, RAIN, Transitional Living Center. Plants for garden/landscape, California Garden Club, Inc. Encouraging Future Gardeners and the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks. Bench dedication program.
Some of our fundraising projects include our Holiday Wreath Project & Pumpkin/Succulent Project. Also the Penny Pines Project. At each monthly meeting a raffle is held. Tickets for the raffle are purchased by the members and and those monies go into our fundraising account. Gifts are available for the raffle that are purchased by the hospitality committee as well as donated by the members.
The Penny Pines Project: PVGC collects donations during our monthly general meetings, a small jar is passed around during the meeting and members can make their donation. Penny Pines is part of the National Garden Club, Inc. and the USDA National Forests. PVGC donations are sent to Los Padres National Forest to help replant trees indigenous to a particular damaged area. Under a Conservation agreement, the Forest Service does the planting and provides the plantation the same protection from fires, insects, and disease given to other forested areas. Our donations are made in multiples of $68 throughout the year. The plantations are part of the regular National Forest reforestation program and planted on burned-over and brush-covered areas which are potentially productive timberlands. These plantations provide soil protection, watershed protection, soil stabilization, future harvestable timber, as well as beauty and shade for recreation. These funds were needed due to the Rey Fire in 2016.