MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Meridian Garden Club has been named the 2017 Garden Club of the Year. Alongside of this accomplishment, they have also received the Triple Diamond Club of Distinction award.

"We received 4,440 points this year," current Meridian Garden Club President Jodie Szalankiewicz said. "There are few clubs that receive that."

The Meridian Garden Club was founded in 1970 and have flourished ever since with 80 members.

"It's sharing.. and together we can do things that we can't do as individuals," Szalankiewicz said.

Though there has been a change in leadership, the work and dedication remains the same.

Szalankiewics compare former Meridian Garden Club president Madeline Materson's organization skills to a beehive.

"Boy, I have some big shoes to fill coming in after her," Szalankiewicz said. "So, I want to continue to have the club receive awards like this."

One of the club's most recent projects is the Paint It Pink Garden in the township's Historical Village.

"A two-phased way of raising community awareness for breast cancer as the result of a National Garden Clubs initiative has now resulted in this lovely respite garden," project chair Sue Nieland said.

The Garden Club wanted the Paint It Pink Garden to be more than a site to see in the Historical Village.

"It brings awareness to a very important issue for women," Nieland said.

The community appreciates the hard work the Garden Club puts in.

"The community takes pride in the fact that we have such beautiful gardens around our townships and they enjoy them," Materson said.