Garden Club Volunteers Donate $40K to Community Causes

Volunteers at the Cress Creek Garden Club prove that growing gardens can also grow generosity.

The Naperville organization donated $15,000 in scholarships and $25,000 to local charities this year, all funded by their annual community event. On November 6, they'll host their 48th Glow of Giving Hearts fundraiser at Bolingbrook Golf Club.

The event runs from 9:30 AM to 2 PM and includes lunch, silent auctions, homemade baked goods, and raffle baskets. Tickets go on sale September 12, with proceeds supporting next year's scholarships and donations.

But the club's impact goes beyond fundraising. Members volunteer year-round to plant and maintain gardens throughout Naperville at no cost to the community.

Their green thumbs brighten the Paw Paw Garden at Naper Settlement, the Veterans Garden, and the Blue Star Marker Garden at the VFW. They also care for gardens at the DuPage Children's Museum and Trinity House.

The club brings garden therapy to residents at St. Patrick's Residence, where planting and tending flowers offers healing and connection. These small acts of care create moments of joy for seniors in the community.

The Ripple Effect

When volunteers invest hours tending public gardens, everyone benefits from the beauty they create. When they raise funds through bake sales and raffles, students can afford college and struggling families find help.

The Cress Creek Garden Club shows how local action multiplies. Their scholarships change individual lives while their maintained gardens lift entire neighborhoods.

Students interested in applying for next year's scholarships can find applications on the club's website, due March 1, 2027. The club welcomes anyone who wants to contribute time, donations, or attendance at the November event.

Forty-eight years of consistent community service proves that sustained generosity, not grand gestures, transforms towns into thriving places where neighbors support neighbors.