Politics & Government
Missoula Memorial Rose Garden Volunteer Workdays Slated For April 24 And May 22
The April 24 and May 22 volunteer workdays are from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and are open to ages eight and up.
April 21, 2021
Planted in 1946 to honor local service members killed in World War II, the Memorial Rose Garden has been a Missoula institution for 75 years. Parks and Recreation and the Missoula Rose Society invite residents to volunteer in the Garden on April 24 and May 22. Memorial Rose Garden Park is located at 800 Brooks St.
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The April 24 and May 22 volunteer workdays are from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and are open to ages eight and up. Working with experts from the Rose Society, volunteers will be mulching, weeding, planting and pruning roses. Volunteers may stay for the entire event or drop by to help for a shorter period. Parks and Recreation will provide tools, gloves and refreshments.
Local rose enthusiasts established the all-volunteer Missoula Rose Society in 1944 and since then have planted and maintained the Memorial Rose Garden. The Garden is part of the City’s WWII memorial and surrounds an obelisk monument listing the names of local casualties of the war.
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Today, the Garden’s 41 beds are home to over 600 rose plants of all varieties. Through a long-term partnership, the Missoula Rose Society provides for the planting and care of the roses, and Parks and Recreation maintains the park. The Rose Society welcomes volunteers throughout the year to care for the roses and prepare the Garden for the seasons ahead.
Parks and Recreation Director Donna Gaukler says the hard work and commitment of the Missoula Rose Society has kept the Garden flourishing for the last 73 years. “Without the experienced and talented Rose Society members providing leadership, the Memorial Rose Garden would not succeed,” Gaukler says. “I hope folks will consider volunteering a few hours this weekend or year-round. It is an easy way to show support for an important community resource, learn more about roses and the memorials, and share community pride.”
Parks and Recreation plans to host additional volunteer workdays at the Rose Garden this fall. To register for the April or May events, visit www.volunteermissoula.org. Pre-registration is requested but not required.
Learn more: donate to the Memorial Rose Gardens or join the Rose Society.
This press release was produced by the City of Missoula. The views expressed here are the author’s own.