| Get Connected! |
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Photo Credit Bemidji, Minnesota
2007 Special Mention for Community Involvement |
| There's Still Time to Get Your Community Involved! |
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 Enrollment for participation in the 2008 America in Bloom program is still open! The entry deadline of February 28, 2008 is approaching quickly, so get your community together today! The AIB office will gladly supply interested communities with AIB information material; just give us a call at 614-487-1117! |
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How AIB Works - From a Judge's Perspective |
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By AIB Judge Katy Moss Warner  America in Bloom (AIB) is like a lifelong learning program for communities. As with ongoing professional training - which we all know is critical to our success - so too towns and cities must be ever vigilant to new trends, new opportunities, and new information in order to provide the quality of life and economic opportunities expected from its citizens.
How does this work? As an AIB judge, I have seen first hand how cities benefit just by being part of the America in Bloom experience, whether they win the big prize or not.
Read onPhoto: AIB judges Katy Moss Warner and Leonard Perry with Peoria, Arizona volunteers. |
| Environmental Awareness: Oxygen - The Original Greenhouse Gas |
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 About 20 years ago, I saw the first reference to the term "greenhouse gas," used in a pejorative tone. All references seen earlier had referred to "ozone depleting gases which contributed to the so-called greenhouse effect." Even then, I knew the writer's "shortcut" was not going to be good for the horticulture industry.
My first reaction was to contact one of our industry's Washington, DC-based trade organizations, which for years had been a watchdog looking out for industry interests. And for a number of years, the organization sent out letters to offending journalists talking about "greenhouse gases" to try to influence the verbiage used. Alas, the term "greenhouse gas" is much more prevalent today than any reference to "the greenhouse effect."
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Keeping the Momentum |
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By Evelyn Alemani
What's your AIB committee up to? After a big year of efforts, some towns are still celebrating their achievements in the 2007 America in Bloom contest. Others have convened their AIB committees to strategically assess their evaluation and see where points can be gained, thinking of projects and enlisting volunteers who can help bring about positive changes.
While your community may be covered in snow, times when the ground is frozen solid are best to start planning for your 2008 entry. Look at photos from last year and think about what can be done bigger, better, different. Scan the volunteer list. Who else can you bring on board? Churches? Schools? More businesses? Utilities? Government entities? This is the time to make your lists - milestones to accomplish, people to recruit, sponsors to sign. Establish your budgets, set goals, and start looking forward to the beginning of another great adventure. Most important, send in your entry form! |
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Project Orange Thumb |
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 Started in 2003, Project Orange Thumb is a grant program that provides community garden groups with the tools and materials they need to reach their goals for neighborhood beautification and horticulture education. Project Orange Thumb has provided over 100 community groups with over $200,000 to create and develop their own special community gardens. These included projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, sustainable agriculture, and/or horticultural education. Community garden groups, as well as schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, etc. are encouraged to apply. Apply today! |
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To date AIB has touched 20 million people in over 150 communities throughout 36 states. |
| Have a Story to Share? |
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We would love to hear from you! Tell us about AIB activities in your community, or let us know about a community you have visited that should get involved with AIB. E-mail your story to Laura Kunkle, LKunkle@ofa.org. | |
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January 21, 2008
