THE BRULE GARDEN
A COMMUNITY & MEMORIAL GARDEN
REMEMBERING OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
Who We Are
Brule Community Garden
What began as a vision in 2008 became a reality when Hope Larson and Janet Follis
presented the idea of a "Community/Memorial Garden" to the Town Board in Brule. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a challenge that nearly everyone will experience during his or her lifetime. While the only way to heal from a loss is with time, creating a memorial garden in honor of your loved one is an inspirational way to pay tribute to their life while giving you a quiet place to remember your loved one.The beauty of memorial gardens is what it symbolizes and how it makes you feel when you visit it. It can be as small as a single tree, a group of flowers, a bench to relax in or a windmill that brings memories of past and leads us to the gardens. We hope this garden will provide you with a beautiful and meaningful place to remember those who have passed and the beauty that they have brought into our lives and community.
About Us
A Vision of Hope
Hope Larson and Janet Follis presented the idea of a “Community/Memorial Garden” to the Brule Town Board. The idea to honor their loved ones slowly gained support from local citizens.
Nancy Hofstedt, Laila Magnuson and Sheila Yrjanainen Mackie came on board to support the plan and provide ideas and much needed physical effort. Joyce Klugow, Minerva Johnson, Alicia and Hillary Homan also volunteered their services to the Garden.
The Dennis Smet family donated the Day Lilies that provide the border. Plots were defined and plants were put in. Maple trees purchased at The Wentworth Gardens were planted to provide the center of the first 3 raised beds to designate memorials for the Hofstedt, Magnuson and Yrjanainen families.
As time passed, families donated park benches, trees, plants, shrubs, ornamental decorations and signs. The Town of Brule helped out greatly by providing raw materials.
The Brule Community/Memorial Garden is located across the street from Olson Brothers offices and provides evidence of what dedication and hard work can do to beautify the area. Funds for improvements and plants come from a plant sale held every Spring and is headed up by Hope Larson.
Anyone else wanting to offer support can do so by volunteering to do physical work, donating plants for the sale or by planting and maintaining a garden . Of course monetary donations are always accepted and appreciated.
More information will be available soon on the Town of Brule Website. https://www.brule-wi.org
Learn About Us
Our Mission
The Brule Community and Memorial Garden is a local Community Garden that brings together folks of all ages from the Brule and surrounding areas. It is made up of a group of community-focused individuals, who love celebrating and cultivating garden space and creating an overall greater community spirit In Brule. From our humble beginnings we have cultivated our gardens with flowers from area families. We then continued this spirit of sharing through our annual plant sale which occurs the second Saturday in June at the Brule Pavilion. We’ve been working since 2008 to expand our garden spaces for our community to enjoy and benefit from. We encourage you to join us and contribute towards making a positive difference.
The History of Our Community Garden
How It All Began
BRULE COMMUNITY & MEMORIAL GARDEN
The concept of the garden/park came to light April 8, 2008. It has now been a decade since the first flowers were planted. What you see today is the product of the efforts of many dedicated people in the area.
2008 (agenda minutes April 8, 2008)
The first garden was completed with the help and support of the 2008
Town Board members, Mr. and Mrs. Warner (Janice) Wellman, Mrs. Ken (Laila) Magnuson and family, Mrs. Harvey (Minerva) Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Wm.T. (Janet) Follis, and family, Mrs. Bernard (Joyce) Klugow, Mrs. Kevin (Sheila) Mackie, Mr. and Mrs. Jack and Nancy and daughters Hillary and
Alicia Homan and family, Pennee Krawczyk (Bruce Hofstedt, Mr. and Mrs. Walter “Buck” ( Shirley) Follis, Mr. and Mrs. Kirk (Jill) Clemmer, Doug Copp, Olson Brothers, Dean Baillie, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy (Darlene) Nevin, Shane Sipsas, Wyatt Nevin, Hope Larson and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph (Linda) Scaccia, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Baillie,
Mark and Becky Baillie, Ms. Kathy Ohler (family friend of Mrs. Ann Pellman),
Thanks also to The Wentworth Gardens.
2009
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis (Mary) Smet and family, Mick Killoren and Florence Berube, Walt Moss Trucking, Mr. and Mrs. William (Carol) Kangas, Brule Presbyterian Church, Mr. and Mrs. Ray (Jean) Copp and family, Mr.and Mrs. Wm. (Evelyn) Culhane and family, Mr. and Mrs. Wesley (Lenore) Raivala, Mrs. Inez Schultz and family, Mr. and Mrs. Keith (Nancy) Moreland, Mrs. Laila Magnuson, Mrs. Joyce Klugow, Minerva Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. T. Follis, Kevin and Sheila Mackie, Mrs. Jerry (Karen) Bridge, Wentworth Gardens, Mr. and Mrs. Ray/Ida Korhonen, Mr. and Mrs. Don Baillie, Mr. and Mrs. John and Shirley Urbaniak,
Trees for the circular gardens: Kevin and Sheila Mackie and family, Elmer and Evie Yrjanainen, Laila Magnuson for Ken Magnuson and Susie Magnuson Jahn.
2010
Laila Magnuson and family, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Mackie and family, Walt Moss, Kevin and Sheila Mackie, the Ray Copp family and the donor of the large field stones.
2011
Paul and Anita Helbach: the Blue Spruce, Ina Schultz: Burning Bushes,
2012
The Walter and Ellen Muttonen Bench: Rodney and Betty Lehto and family, Patty Muttonen, Ronald and Gloria Lahti and family and Bob and Sharon Muttonen and family
2013, 2014
2015
Mr. and Mrs. Bud Magnuson (Diann Magnuson), Lita Lind, Hope Larson, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Santikko, Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Mary Warbalow
2016
Mr. and Mrs. Bud Magnuson, Laila Magnuson
2017
Oscar and Vivian Anderson bench: Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Anderson and family, Janice
Stevens and family, Donna Johnson and family. Sign made and put in place by Paul and Adam Helbach. Ed and Susie Norton added rose bushes.
2018
Ruska/Johnson Family: Mr. and Mrs. Lee Ruska, Mr. and Mrs. Cal
Ruska, The Denny Family: Mr. and Mrs. Allen Denny and family, Mike Denny, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce (Donna Denny) Bergsten.
The Brule Community/Memorial Garden committee would like to thank all of the citizens of the area who have donated and purchased plants over the years which has provided funding for the upkeep of the garden.
The Garden has come a long way in 10 years and just imagine what we can do in the next ten years.
We apologize if we have forgotten anyone’s donations of time and materials. Please notify us on the Town of Brule Website and we will include donations.
Collection of Moments
The Brule Community & Memorial Garden
One of the most important things to keep in mind when healing from a loss is to resist the urge to suppress your feelings and to let yourself ride the waves of grief as they come and go. Creating a memorial garden will give you a peaceful place to retreat to when working through these waves of emotion. Even the very act of building and maintaining a garden will help keep the mind focused on something beautiful and symbolic and you will always have a quiet place to visit, reflect and remember.Our collection of photos is a great way to understand what our families and volunteers are accomplishing at The Brule Community and Memorial Garden. Each family takes pride in the upkeep of their gardens.
Those we love don't go away,
they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard,
but always near,
so loved, so missed,
so very dear.
Interested in getting involved with The Brule Community and Memorial Garden? Give us a call or send us an email via the Town of Brule website. Hope Larson 218-590-2128, Jody Forsythe 715-292-9237.
Contact Sheila Mackey if you would like to donate a bench at 715-919-2953
nelsond@ci.superior.wi.us
13844 US-2
Brule, 54820
USA
Town Office (218) 591-0693
https://www.brule-wi.org/