Tradition drives a group of women dedicated to decking out the grounds at a historic Foothills church each summer.
For the past 55 years, the Christ Church Millarville Ladies Guild and local volunteers have decorated the church, grounds and graveyards with bouquets of flowers for its annual Flower Festival.
This year’s flower festival takes place July 15 and 16.
“We’ve continued this for 55 years,” said Sandra Bull, a member of the Christ Church Ladies Guild for 50 of those years. “We have busloads of seniors from lodges that come to look at the grounds and cemetery because every grave is decorated and the church is decorated beautifully. They walk around the churchyard and they go in the church. When they go over and have a tea they are looked after like royalty.”
People in the community and members of the Millarville Horticultural Society donate flowers from their gardens, nearby fields and purchase bouquets to decorate the church. Children in the community also help to place flowers near graves in the cemetery, she said.
“Not only do the church people participate, but community people come and decorate the graves,” she said.
The idea of the Flower Festival came from former guild member Flo King, who was inspired after attending a similar event in England.
“The ladies decided it would be a good way to celebrate the historical significance of the church and a way to raise money,” Bull said.
Tea is served to visitors on Saturday, which includes scones, homemade strawberry jam and whipped cream.
The tea takes place July 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $6 and $3 for children ages six and under. People can also purchase a strawberry recipe cookbook or jam. A church service will also be held July 16 at 11:30 a.m.
Pauline Buckley, co-president of the guild, said the Flower Festival introduced her to the community and now she’s been involved for over a decade.
“When I came out to Millarville that was one of the first things I was asked if I wanted to help,” she said. “That’s how I got to know everybody. It’s really a fellowship.”
Buckley soon discovered there were three generations of women working the event.
“There’s a lot of history here and we’ve got five generations of people in this area,” she said. “A lot of people are buried in the cemetery so their families bring flowers and make sure it’s decorated. I’m from the city. These kinds of experiences you don’t get in the city.”
She helps make the jam served and sold at the Flower Festival.
“I go out and find the strawberries at the cheapest price I can find and then we get together,” she said. “We’ve got ladies that are washing the strawberries, cutting the tops off and cutting them up. I use a food processor and another lady fills the jars and times them. It’s fellowship, visiting and talking to each other and that kind of stuff. It’s a lot of fun.”
To donate potted plants, floral arrangements and cut flowers for the Flower Festival call Cathie Scatterty at 403-938-7717. Flowers can be brought to the church on July 14 at around 6 p.m.
