Keep Alexandra and Clyde Beautiful will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a month-long exhibition of project photos and records which opens at Central Stories on Monday.
Group archivist Ann Wills had been a member since 2004 and said the anniversary was a time to reflect on the difference the group had made over the years.
Mrs Wills and fellow members Sue Mort and Mary Ann Baxter had organised the exhibition, with the help of meeting minutes and records from 1989, when the group was formed.
"I ... marvel at how they were kept," Mrs Wills said.
One of the group’s first projects was planting over 500 trees at the northern entrance of Alexandra.
Other efforts, such as cleanup days, had drawn over 1000 people to help, Mrs Wills said.
"I’m honestly amazed at what has been done."
She hoped the exhibition would be kept digitally as a record of the group’s work and could prompt people to think about the work which went into keeping the Alexandra and Clyde area beautiful.
Mrs Baxter described herself as a "newcomer" to the group after she joined in 2020 after being impressed by the work members did.
"You go to an AGM out of interest and find yourself on the committee."
For the exhibition, she had contacted about 240 past members.
It was a great opportunity to celebrate their work, she said.
"That’s where you got these lovely letters or emails back from older members.
"For people who have been in the committee and have put many many years in — I think they’ll find it really heartening."
She also hoped the exhibition might encourage other groups to celebrate their own volunteers.
"[It is an] opportunity to be able to share what a volunteer group has done to make a difference in our district."
Support for the group could be shown in a range of forms, not just getting stuck into planting, Mrs Baxter said.
"People, while they mightn’t be able to physically be there, have found ways to be able to support what’s happening.
"I find that really heartening, being in a small community where people just care in a whole lot of different ways."
The exhibition will be held in the Heafey Gallery at Central Stories from Monday to August 17.
