Milton Garden Club promotes recycling through community art project
The Milton Garden Club is expanding its environmental outreach through a community recycling program built around a metal sculpture known as “CRUSH,” which encourages residents to recycle aluminum cans while supporting local beautification and conservation projects.
Jennifer Weber, a member of the club’s board who helps coordinate outreach efforts, said the program combines environmental education with a practical way for residents to support the club’s community work.
The program centers on a large aluminum can collection sculpture placed outside the garden club’s clubhouse at Magnolia Hall, 5256 Alabama St. Residents are encouraged to drop off empty cans in the display, which are later collected and recycled.
Weber said recycling aluminum has long been part of the club’s environmental mission. Aluminum is considered one of the most sustainable materials to recycle because it can be reused repeatedly without losing quality.
“Aluminum is 100 percent recyclable infinitely,” Weber said.
The garden club works with several local partners to collect cans, including the Santa Rosa County Extension Office and Tanglewood Golf Club, which regularly contributes large quantities of aluminum cans.
Proceeds from the recycling effort help support the club’s projects throughout the community. Weber said the funds typically help purchase plants, soil, fertilizer and other materials needed for gardening and landscaping efforts.
The CRUSH display also has a unique history.
Weber said the sculpture was originally created by members of the Santa Rosa Women’s Club as part of an environmental awareness initiative. The project received recognition through women’s civic organizations for its creative approach to recycling before later being donated to the nonprofit environmental group Ocean Hour Florida.
Members of the Milton Garden Club eventually partnered with Ocean Hour Florida to bring the sculpture to Milton and incorporate it into the club’s recycling program. Weber said CRUSH will remain at Magnolia Hall for the next several months.
“We were already recycling aluminum cans as part of what we do,” Weber said. “When we learned we could turn it into something interactive and educational for the community, we were excited to do it.”
The recycling effort also connects to broader environmental education supported by the garden club and Ocean Hour Florida volunteers.
Weber said club members regularly participate in neighborhood litter cleanups and environmental awareness programs that highlight how pollution in inland communities can reach coastal waterways.
“Everything we do up here affects the water down on the beach,” Weber said. “Even something as small as a cigarette butt on the side of the road can end up in a storm drain and eventually make its way to the Gulf.”
In addition to recycling programs and environmental outreach, the Milton Garden Club maintains landscaping at local public spaces and supports veterans organizations throughout the community.
Founded in 1948, the organization has grown to about 80 members and hosts monthly educational programs open to the public. Presentations often feature topics ranging from floral design and container gardening to beekeeping and coastal conservation.
Weber said the club hopes programs like CRUSH will encourage residents to participate in environmental stewardship while supporting local beautification efforts.
“It’s a small thing people can do that makes a big difference,” Weber said. “Every can recycled helps both the environment and our community.”
To support the club, individuals can sign up for the Milton Garden Club’s 5th Annual Golf Scramble on Friday, May 22, at Tanglewood Golf and Country Club. For more information about the event, contact Loise Spencer at miltongardenclubflgolf@gmail.com.