Burlington Garden Club Honors Founding Member With Bench

Jan DeSarno with help from BGC members, UVM Master Gardeners, and local volunteers, has spent nearly 25 years making Vermont Garden Park a landscaped destination that serves as a refuge for adults and a play land for children. Each year hundreds of pounds of produce is grown in Grandma and Grandpa’s Gardens; all donated to the So. Burlington Food Shelf. In honor of her leadership and dedication, the BGC surprised Jan with a beautiful park bench.

At the National Garden Club convention in Denver, Doris Van Mullen, President of the Federated Garden Clubs of Vermont, accepted the Award of Honor for Jan DeSarno’s over 35 years of service. This high honor was in recognition of her contributions to civic beautification, youth gardening, volunteerism and helping to solve local food insecurity.

Jan is a 35 year member of the Burlington Garden Club (BGC). She has served three terms as club President, founded the Young Children's Summer Gardening Program, and the Grandpa and Grandma Gardens where hundreds of vegetables are grown annually for families with food shortage.