Altrusa’s First Plant & Bake Sale Takes Root
Altrusa of Tucson tried something new on September 26 with our first Plant & Bake Sale, hosted at Ann Banwell’s home near the university. Months of propagating, digging, baking and planning came together for a colorful day filled with plants, treats and plenty of Altrusa teamwork.
Margaret Watson, Cindy Mansfield, Marcia Lucas, Elaine Wilder and Jerry, Gail Dent, Elsa Nelson, Gwen Gallegos, Elda Lopez and Ann helped set up tents and tables, filling them with an impressive variety of plants. Elda, Margaret, Elaine and Ann had been propagating plants for months, and their work paid off with plenty for customers to choose from.
Our newest member, Cheryl Beran, also jumped right in, contributing plants she dug from her own land as well as baked goods. Cheryl, Gail, Sheila Hugunin and Bonnie McPherson helped stock the bake sale table with treats — and some of the most enthusiastic customers were fellow Altrusans. Gwen was among those photographed carefully choosing her favorites.
The sale included more than live plants. Elda created vases filled with artificial flowers, adding another colorful option to the tables. She also made flyers distributed at the schools where Altrusa volunteers and created large signs to help draw attention to the sale.
Elsa was photographed helping a customer look over the plant selection, while she and Ann also served as cashiers for the day. In another photo, Bonnie, Gwen and Elda can be seen at the treat table as the sale continued around them.
For a first-time event, the Plant & Bake Sale brought together a lot of preparation, contributions and helping hands — exactly the kind of teamwork Altrusa does so well.
And judging from all those plants, baked treats and smiling faces, our first sale certainly gave us something to grow on.
I’d call it the “first” or “inaugural” sale rather than “first annual” until Ann or Elda confirms that it’s intended to become an annual event. I’d also send this draft to one of them before posting, as Gail suggested.