BUCKHANNON — Fred Brooks Garden Club returned from the West Virginia Garden Club’s State Convention at Glade Springs with two awards.

At the state level, FBGC won the West Virginia Garden Club Award, which recognized the club’s efforts in civic involvement and beautification. These projects include work with Miss Bobbi’s Story Time Group at the Upshur County Public Library and Stockert Youth Center’s Camp Buccaneer and afterschool program.

At Christmas, the club decorates the Christmas tree at the Upshur County Courthouse and makes pine swags for county and city buildings, along with planting tulips and geraniums at the courthouse beds for spring and summer. FBGC also maintains the wreaths on display in county, city and medical facilities in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness during October. The club maintains two Blue Star Markers and two perennial beds at Fred Brooks Park.

Winning this state award led to FBGC receiving recognition for Public Relations from SAR (South Atlantic Region) of the National Garden Club, Inc. This region includes Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky.  This entitles FBGC to compete for national recognition at the National Garden Club, Inc. convention in June in Denver, Colorado.

FBGC also won $250 in garden tools from the AMES Tool Company. To win this grant, the club outlined how it would use the tools for various community projects. These tools will help the club with maintaining the Blue Star markers and beds at Fred Brooks Park, along with their work for Camp Buccaneer at Stockert Youth Center this summer.