January 7, 2026 - The Center Garden Club met for its December meeting in the home of Carolyn Bounds who served a holiday lunch and presented the program, "Trees for Christmas."
Carolyn shared her gumdrop tree, a festive holiday treat that can serve as a fun centerpiece. She, also, shared her arrangement of bare winter branches adorned with ornamental glass birds or bulbs that makes a simple but stunning use of leafless trees.
Carolyn's third reference to "Trees for Christmas" was her sharing of the legend of Captain Herman Shueneman who for many years crossed Lake Michigan in his old three-masted schooner laden with thousands of Christmas trees bound for Chicago where masses eagerly awaited him. The masses had proclaimed him "Captain Santa," the man who not only sold his trees, but more importantly, delivered many of them free of charge to the churches, hospitals, and needy families of Chicago. Unfortunately, in 1912 tragedy struck; Captain Santa and his crew were lost to a raging Lake Michigan storm. His legacy of generosity and kindness lives on to this day, when every year, including 2025, the US Coast Guard's cutter the Mackinaw arrives at Chicago's Navy Pier from the North to donate trees to deserving families as a kind gesture in the spirit of Captain Santa (Herman Shueneman). Trees are certainly one of Nature's loveliest gifts to all.
Following the program, a brief business meeting was conducted and adjourned with a Merry Christmas wish to all.
