LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Strength in numbers, a town effort


From left: Jim O'Bryent, President Moraga Kiwanis, and John Haffner, Coordinator for Kiwanis project Photo provided

Never has it been more evident that there is strength in numbers as when the Moraga Garden Club, the town of Moraga and the Kiwanis of Moraga Valley came together to transform the pie-shaped island intersection of Rheem Boulevard and Moraga Road, commonly referred to as the Triangle.

The Moraga Garden Club - celebrating its 50th year amidst the throws of a debilitating virus - is stronger and working harder than ever.

Darlene Haffner and Jessica Fleming combined their ideas to plan a long overdue facelift to the Triangle. While this area had been tended over the years by various Garden Club members, it began to lack a cohesive look, appearing overgrown and tangled.

Haffner approached the town with their brainchild and was rewarded not only with the necessary funds from the Moraga Parks and Recreation Foundation but also with physical labor to clear, remove and ultimately fill three dump trucks with vegetation debris. Haffner says, "The work of Kyle Salvin and Ruben Ochoa of the Public Works Department was simply invaluable. The earth was hard as rock."

Fleming, a master gardener, put her expertise to work to come up with a viable plan for plantings that would not only be resilient but provide color throughout the seasons. Ever helpful Kenny Murakami, owner of the Moraga Garden Center, provided assistance and stored the plants until the Triangle was properly prepared.

It took two full days of many hands to complete the plantings which could not have been carried out without the additional strength of several husbands including John Haffner, who motivated and coordinated fellow Kiwanians to participate.

Once plants become established, everyone will be able to enjoy the fruits of collaborative volunteerism.

In addition, the Garden Club has worked diligently to rejuvenate the four historic Country Club Drive urns (built in 1915), maintain a fifth urn in front of the Library and parts of the Commons, and develop a perennial garden at the Hacienda. Kudos to Julie Stagg, Carolyn Westhoff, Connie Couts and Rena Munson - the respective chairs for each project. Ochoa and Salvin of the Public Works Department supplied much needed support for each.

Be sure to drive by and enjoy the solar lighting which encircle and enhance the CC Drive urns.

The volunteer collaboration will continue into next month when the Moraga Garden Club will again join forces with Kiwanis on Dec. 5 to plant additional daffodil bulbs for all residents to enjoy in the spring.

The Moraga Garden Club has continued to be active during these restrictive times. Nonetheless, we welcome new members. For more information, visit:

www.moragagardenclub.com?