I am sorry to report that John R. Holmes passed away on Thursday, February 12 at the age of 45. John was AIB's Secretary/Treasurer and had served on the Board of Directors since the beginning of the organization.  John was also the CEO of OFA, the organization that has graciously provided staff assistance for America in Bloom since its founding.  

 
John often told folks that "We were brothers from a different mother" because we would talk quite often.  His insight, his humor, his honesty, and his friendship will truly be missed by me, the AIB Board, and the entire America in Bloom family. Indeed, the entire horticulture industry, whether they realized it or not, will miss John's leadership. In his OFA role, John was always looking for a way to bring organizations together for the good of their members. He looked for ways to open communication when doors had been previously closed. He looked at ways organizations might provide reciprocal benefits for their members with other organizations. He was always talking up America in Bloom, using it as an example of building community when folks worked together for the common good.  

 

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Don't miss getting your city involved in this year's community beautifcation program! The deadline for registering is February 28. More information and this year's participants can be found at the AIB web site, www.americainbloom.org.

 

An Aesop's fable talks about a man who gathers his sons around him while he lay on his death bed.  He asked for a bundle of sticks, and one by one, he challenged each son to break the bundle.  When none could, he untied the bundle, gave each son a stick, and repeated the challenge, "Break it." The moral of the story was that in unity there is strength.

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In research to be published this month in the journal HortScience, the researchers discovered that among the other health benefits of gardening is keeping older hands strong and nimble.

"One of the things we found is that older adults who are gardeners have better hand strength and pinch force, which is a big concern as you age," said Candice Shoemaker, K-State professor of horticulture.

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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.