The Southern Lancaster County Historical Society (SLCHS) will host the 28th annual greens sale on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 1 and 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the society's archives building, 1932 Robert Fulton Highway, 6 miles south of Quarryville on Route 222.
SLCHS members and other volunteers will assemble live greens and other items into a variety of shapes for decorating. Centerpieces, boxwood trees, grave blankets, and wreaths will be offered in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors. Some grave blankets will be decorated with patriotic colors for placement on veterans' final resting places. Shoppers may also purchase bags of leftover greens to create their own decorations. Additionally, some customization of items will be available.
Each year, the greens are harvested after Thanksgiving from trees and shrubs growing at the Robert Fulton Birthplace, which is located across the road from the archives building and is owned by the SLCHS, as well as from community members' properties.
"Our neighbors here are really good," commented SLCHS president Stan White. "With all the wet weather this year, the greens should be in great shape."
The sale committee is careful about what greens are used in the arrangements, opting to use evergreens that do not turn brown too quickly.
"If the boxwood trees are watered from time to time, some people have them last until February," said committee member Linda White.
Volunteers are welcome to assist in creating the arrangements in the lower level of the archives building on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, Nov. 28, 29, and 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided. The sale committee noted that people who are not SLCHS members regularly help with the sale.
"They like the fact that we're trying to preserve local heritage," explained sale committee chair Peg Wurst.
Cash and checks will be accepted for payment at the sale. The proceeds from the event, as well as the sale of several book titles, 2019 calendars illustrated with pencil drawings of local landscapes, and notecards, will be used to sustain the SLCHS. The sale is the society's biggest fundraiser, now that the House and History Tour was discontinued two years ago.
"As owners of the (Robert Fulton) Birthplace, the society is in charge of addressing major issues and regular upkeep," Stan said.
The SLCHS has been working to get more age groups involved at the birthplace and with the historical society in general, Wurst said. Recently, eighth-graders from Swift and Smith middle schools spent time at the archives engaging with local history through a variety of activities.
The Robert Fulton Birthplace is open on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and tours are available for groups in the other months, weather permitting. The archives are open for research from September to May every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon and on the second and fourth Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The SLCHS meets at 1:30 p.m. on every third Saturday of the month from January through November.
Preorders for arrangements are welcome, and folks may call Wurst at 717-392-5023 or the archives at 717-548-2679 to place orders. Otherwise, greens will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
"We'd like to remind people to come early for the best selection," advised SLCHS newsletter editor Marsha Stiles.
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