A local veterans memorial, a commercial property and four residential sites were honored by Hillsboro Garden Club recently with its 2017 Beautification Awards.
Nancy Baldwin, president of the club, said Wednesday that the awards were initiated in 2011 at the suggestion of the Ohio Association of Garden Clubs, which still has a part in seeing the awards presented.
They are awarded to locations where care and creativity in the selection of flowers and plants and curb appeal makes the community outstanding, the clubs said in a prepared statement.
“We just want to make people aware about beautifying the community,” Baldwin said. “The awards help people take care of their place, which makes the whole community better.”
Selected for the Community Landscaping Award was the veterans monument on Diamond Drive at Liberty Park, which was erected by members of the Hillsboro High School class of 1940.
On May 22 this year, members of the Fab Five 4-H Club assisted Rick Tipton, Sherry Hixson, Kathe Chaney, Stephanie Roland and several other volunteers, who have maintained the area the past several years, gave the memorial area a facelift.
The project was supported by Support Our Troops Of Highland County; a donation in memory of 1st Sgt. Phillip R. Vergamini, U.S. Army, retired; Hillsboro VFW Post 9094; and Shawn Wilkin and his masonry students from Laurel Oaks. The completion of the project was fulfilled with the placement of new flags, which were provided by the Highland County Veterans Service Office and the city of Hillsboro Water Plant.
The Commercial Landscaping Award went to to Cedar Woods Apartments located at 312 Cedar Woods Drive on Harry Sauner Road. Nancy Couser is the property manager, Jodi Wait is the grounds keeper and Jerry Davis handles maintenance.
The four winners of the Residential Landscaping Award, in no particular order, were: Tom and Ruby Gall, 440 W. Walnut St.; Mindy Lee, 418 W. Pleasant St.; John and Carolyn Kellis, 510 N. High St.; and Randy and Charlene Roush, 607 S. West St.
Baldwin said the hanging plants in uptown Hillsboro are outstanding this year, but that they were recognized with one of the awards in 2015.
The awards are made, Baldwin said, after a club committee goes on a sight-seeing tour around the city.
She said the club just wants to recognize local people for all the effort it takes to make the selected sites look as good as they do. “It takes dedication, dedication, dedication to make things grow and look nice,” Baldwin said.
The Hillsboro Garden Club’s next meeting, which includes a potluck dinner, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 25 at the Katherine Zane Granger Floral Hall at the Highland County Fairgrounds. Baldwin said the club is always looking for new members.
