The Knightsen Garden Club, established in 1936, remained active until the late 1970s, when participation slowed to a crawl. The few members that kept it alive also were responsible for obtaining clean-water grant funds and beginning the Knightsen Water Company (County District M25).

Since the 1980s, the Water Company was given away by the county, the membership became almost dormant, and the Garden Club Building was neglected. A few years back, new members with new ideas and new policies (such as allowing men into the club) re-ignited the society. The new idea, originated by Seth Cockrell (then chairman of the nonprofit society) was to combine the club with other community organizations to ultimately establish a Community Center, thus bringing the town closer together.

Since Mr. Cockrell’s membership, the society has made positive progress and is now back with double-digit membership. The Garden Club Community Center now shares its facility with the Knightsen Firefighters Association, the Knightsen Town Advisory Council, and the Knightsen Town Services District.

The building looks great (for a structure 110 years old) and accommodates meetings each month. A new storefront walk is due to be installed this year, and the community is coming together.

The most recent meeting established a new chairman, Barr Everhart, along with more planning for the fourth annual Knightsen Car and Tractor Days community event on Sept. 26. The joint community event will host tractors, cars, fun, food, raffle, music and a small hometown social atmosphere.

The last Garden Club meeting honored the Knightsen Firefighters Association with a tasty homemade cake as a token of gratitude for the association’s never-ending help in sprucing up the building by waxing the floors, painting and cleaning up leftover items that have accumulated for the past 80 years. Upcoming ideas will encompass honoring our lifelong residents and recognizing those who served in the armed forces.

New members are encouraged to join and be a part of the community center and club. For more information, call Carolyn Sherfy at 925-516-7798.

– Contributed by John A. Gonzales