MAY GREENE GARDEN TRIBUTE TO VOLUNTEERS

What was not long ago a careworn plot of land destined for a parking lot has become a piece of beauty in downtown Cape Girardeau.

Sunday, the park earned its official dedication by the city. Monday night, the Cape Girardeau City Council formally accepted the land as a city park. Its well-groomed appearance today is a credit to tireless volunteers who transformed this property at the corner of Themis and North Fountain.

Singled out for particular distinction during the dedication were four people who spearheaded the effort to save May Greene Garden: Judy Crow, Jim Logan, Larry Bohnsack, and Maxine Davis. These four and dozens of other vo~lun~teers demonstrated that individuals can make a difference even when it comes to fighting federal red tape.

Just over three years ago, the land was on the verge of becoming a parking lot for the Federal Building. But a group of dedicated citizens rallied to save the historic garden site. A garden had graced this parcel of land since before the Civil War. The land took on even more significance as it was the home of May Greene, an esteemed teacher and principal who served the Cape Girardeau Public Schools 53 years.

This wasn't the first time the plot had been saved by concerned citizens. Soon after the land was purchased by the federal government in 1964, the Cite de la Rose Garden Club convinced the General Services Administration to allow the club to maintain a garden at the site. The club maintained the property until it disbanded in the early 1980s. The garden reverted to the federal government in 1983. By 1987, all that remained at the garden site was a Magnolia tree. That's when the parking lot proposal surfaced.

Although the city has formally adopted the park, the May Greene Garden Association will assist with maintenance and support. This group will help ensure that May Greene Garden will continue to blossom in the years ahead.