New crop of winners blooms in Westlake
Gardeners from across Westlake gathered August 4 for the tenth annual Volunteers in Bloom Appreciation Reception and Awards Ceremony at LaCentre. The event recognizes residents and businesses that participate in Westlake in Bloom contest by adopting Hilliard Boulevard flower boxes and Evergreen Cemetery fence gardens, or beautifying their properties with flowers and plants.
The city also presented several awards of distinction.
Judges from the Master Gardeners of Cuyahoga County visited each garden entry in mid-July, grading on four criteria: overall effect of garden design, overall quality of plant materials, originality and maintenance. Ninety points out of a possible 100 were required for a first-place award.
The ceremony also recognized 10 individuals or businesses with what event emcee Bob Parry described as the “we’ve noticed you, and you’re doing a great job” awards. Awards of distinction were given in five categories: tidiness, community involvement, floral displays, heritage preservation and environmental awareness.
The Observer was proud to join fellow honorees Dave Pfister and Lysa Stanton of the Westlake Historical Society and Jeanne Workman, author of “Pioneers of Westlake,” accepting the Heritage Preservation award on behalf of all of the volunteer writers and photographers who contribute to the community’s newspaper.