Flower project brings beauty to Grayson

GRAYSON, Ky. — Flower baskets were recently hung on Main Street in Grayson as a part of a beautification project that has been in the making for a very long time.

Dan Click, president of the Grayson Area Chamber of Commerce, said the idea was to expand the Arts, Beautification & Culture committee.

“The flower basket project for Grayson’s Main Street had been done on a smaller scale in the past with limited success simply due to the need for more help physically in seeing it through. However, we wanted to expand this idea as the ‘beautification’ component of our arts, beautification and culture committee’s goals,” Click said. “To have the support of the Grayson Area chamber as well as the Backyard Bloomers Garden Club and City of Grayson, so that by working as a team, the flowers could be maintained, fertilized and watered, and more of a cooperative effort to keep the plants vibrant and growing throughout the season.”

Click also said there had been discussions by many people in the area for quite some time, but many details had to be worked out and partners found to complete each part of the plan.

Mindy and Dan Click of the Arts, Beautification & Culture Committee (ABC), a committee of the Carter County Community Partners organization, were able to find out exactly where to purchase plant materials and hardware, how the hanging brackets needed to be installed, watering and fertilizing directions, and costs involved for each.

The Grayson Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to fund the project, if partners could be found to share the costs and provide plant maintenance. Jennifer McGLone and the Backyard Bloomers Garden Club had also been interested in getting the project started and agreed to help in the costs involved, the Grayson Rural Electric Co-op’s (RECC) willingness to provide a crew to install the hardware and hang the flower baskets, and the City of Grayson’s Street Department’s pledge to keep flowers watered and fertilized brought the dream into reality.

The flowers arrived from the supplier and were housed overnight at the Grayson Gallery, and along with the team and additional volunteers like Grayson Area Chamber Coordinator Maggie Duncan, pots were put in their hangers and the RECC crew began the process of installing the hardware, two for each pole along the north side of Grayson’s Main Street, a couple of posts on Hord Street, as well as one pole across the street in the Veteran’s Park. All are decorative light poles that are the property of the City of Grayson.

Click said the funding by the Grayson Area Chamber of Commerce comes from a portion of designated monies earmarked for projects that will dress up the city just a bit more for the upcoming Memorial Days celebration and to help promote local businesses. Like many plans that include work where height is involved, the local rural electric company has the equipment and manpower to help and all we had to do was ask. “Of course, it will take the City of Grayson’s workers to keep the flowers well-watered and fertilized — the true test of a cooperative effort,” he said.

Since 2013, the ABC has contributed time and effort toward this and other projects to improve the area.

“The ABC committee has been working since late 2013 with a primary focus on the arts portion via the Grayson Gallery & Art Center, Inc. and other arts-related projects and programs,” he said. “Beautification is a very important part of the group, however, as nothing could be more visible than the condition of our city streets, sidewalks and storefronts to present the pride in our community to those who live and work here as well as more and more frequent visitors to our city and Carter County. Once again, a community that is used to working together took a much-talked about idea and made it all happen. A total of 26 hanging flower baskets are now set up and ready to grow and prosper, just like the City of Grayson itself.”

Moving forward, he said there will be additional meetings and projects by this committee and volunteers are much needed. Contact Dan Click, ABC Chairman at [email protected] and look for us on Facebook.

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Submitted photo | Daily Times
Flower baskets were recently hung on Main Street in Grayson, Ky. as a part of a Beautification Project.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/05/web1_thumbnail_IMG_0424.jpgSubmitted photo | Daily Times
Flower baskets were recently hung on Main Street in Grayson, Ky. as a part of a Beautification Project.

By Portia Williams

[email protected]

Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.

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