Memories and warm thoughts filled the room as 16 women gathered to celebrate more than a lifetime of gardening and friendship.

The Mansfield Garden Club celebrated its 75th anniversary at its Wednesday, Sept. 17 meeting.

Gaye Prosser, the club’s president, hosted the women for a day that included food, prayer and reminiscing on the last 75 years of the club.

A group of Mansfield women organized the club on January 26, 1939.

“The purpose of the club was to make the homes and community more beautiful. The flower of the club was the rose. The colors selected were red and white. On February 5, 1940, Mansfield Garden Club was admitted to the Garden Club of Georgia,” Judy Davis read from a history of the club written by Jeanette Zeigler, president from 1997-98.

Until women entered the workplace, Davis read, most women of the Newborn and Mansfield area belonged to the Garden Club and brought strength to the area by meeting each second Wednesday for programs and social entertainment.

After World War II, the club assisted in a community project to build the Mansfield Community House.

“For years the Garden Club took its turn in serving the Lions Club dinner as a money making project,” Davis read.

The club today is no longer an official member of the Georgia Garden Club but “continues with its ideals of community welfare.”

Both the history Davis read and the women throughout the room said the Plant Swap the club organizes every April has continued to be the most popular event.

Today’s members span across Newton, Morgan and Rockdale counties.