Relay For Life Garden Walk offers inspiring views for fight against cancer

From the moment Judy McColl stole her first flower from the garden club president’s yard at 5 years old and was chased from the yard, she knew that one day she wanted a garden of her own.

“I love flowers. I always have,” McColl said.

Today, McColl is a master gardener and has been a member of the Peoria Evening Garden Club for more than 10 years.

Her garden is one of five that will be opened to the community for the annual Relay for Life Garden Walk hosted by Bev’s Pit Crew from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life, begun in 1985, provides a way for communities to celebrate the lives of families, friends and neighbors who have battled against cancer and to commemorate those whose lives have been lost while offering hope for the future.

Bev’s Pit Crew, a family Relay team led by Bob and Bev Bennett, has raised more than $36,000 dollars for the fight against cancer since the Relay for Life first came to Chillicothe in 2002.

This year’s Relay For Life is June 19 at the Illinois Valley Central High School track.

“We are always looking for new things to do to raise money for fighting cancer,” Cheri Schumacher, daughter of the Bennetts, said.

The family came up with the idea of using a garden walk to raise money after people on the street would stop by her parent’s home to get a peek at their garden.

This is the first year that Judy McColl’s garden has been featured as part of the garden walk.

The garden walk offers nature lovers and family and friends of cancer survivors the perfect opportunity to experience some great views and, at the same time, raise money for an important cause.

Bev’s Pit Crew is always looking for new gardens to include in the walk, Schumacher said.

“I volunteered a couple years ago, but it’s a lot of work. I wanted it to be perfect,” McColl said.

McColl’s front yard, backyard and side yard in Rome are a vibrant array of different flowers, complete with a lily pad pond, several bird feeders, and the face of a man carved into a tree trunk.

Although McColl has many hobbies, including sewing, knitting, cooking and reading crime novels, she loves the dirt even more.

Having grown up on a farm in Oklahoma growing mostly vegetables, once McColl moved to the Midwest she took advantage of the more fertile soil.

She spends six to eight hours each day working in her garden, and her children have inherited her love of planting as well.

“I have two boys, both very involved in gardening,” McColl said.

“I like to share my garden with anybody, anytime,” McColl said.

Despite the many flowering plants blooming in McColl’s garden, she has no favorites.

“It’s hard to choose one. Everyone is so unique. I have a lot of hostas,” McColl said.

She gets her flowers from everywhere, including various stores, the Metro Centre, family and friends. That said, she enjoys giving away flowers she grows as well.

“I like giving away more than putting in,” McColl said.

For a chance to see McColl’s garden and other featured gardens while raising money to help in the fight against cancer, tickets may be purchased at Picket Fence or The
Cutting Edge for $8 in advance or $10 at the door of each home.

On the walk are:
• John and Judy McColl, 14105 Riverbeach Drive. Judy is a master gardener with a huge yard.
• Inid and Frank Stratton, 619 Louise St. Inid said she is a plant collector and horticulturist “for her own enjoyment and the grace of God.”
• Lee Kline, 225 Louise St. This retired farmer’s garden has something for everyone to enjoy.
• Sue Unes, 619 Third St. The garden offers a country look in the city.
• Dan and Karen Gerke, 4507 Deerhart Drive. Their garden is a “wooded wonderland.”