Patience Pays

You have to give the folks of Arroyo Grande, Calif., this: They aren't a bunch of quitters.

After entering the America in Bloom contest four years in a row, Arroyo Grande finally got to celebrate in 2010 – big time. The town with a smidge more than 17,000 people won its population category and received a special citation during the competition, which annually awards noteworthy beautification efforts by cities across the country.

The California town bested three other cities in its population category and took the National Criteria Award for Community Involvement in competition with all of the contest's entrants. To top off the reward for the townfolks' patience and perseverance, a YouTube video created by Arroyo Grande town leaders was named best video by AIB. And Bob Lund, chairman and co-founder of Arroyo Grande in Bloom, earned a special award for community service.

It's little wonder city officials have decided to enter again in 2011.

"Winning is wonderful, but that's not why we do it," Lund said in an interview with the Santa Maria Times after city officials received the good news from America in Bloom. "What we do is for the benefit of the community – and for the volunteers. Winning is the icing on the cake."

In the 2010 competition, Arroyo Grande competed against Addison, Texas; Junction City, Kan.; and Webster Groves, Mo., in its population category of 15,001 to 25,000. The vying cities in this category and in all the population categories – 26 communities in all – devoted better than a year to beautifying their regions in preparation for two-day visits by America in Bloom judges. The panel toured each town and met with city officials, residents and volunteers.

Ultimately, the judges rated the participants in eight categories – community involvement, environmental awareness, floral displays, heritage preservation, landscaped areas, tidiness, turf and ground covers and urban forestry – across three sectors – municipal, residential and commercial.

Where this California town was concerned, victory was a team effort. Arroyo Grande in Bloom had 160-plus volunteers, who collaborated to clean the city, plant flowers and spruce up landscaping. Then they had to maintain everything in anticipation of the judges' visit.

As noted, Arroyo Grande will compete in the 2011 America in Bloom contest, which will feature 22 cities across the nation and which will mark the 10th annual contest for the organization.
 

For more information on the contest and on AIB in general, visit www.americainbloom.org.

The author is editor and publisher of Garden Center Magazine. He can be reached at yyoungblood@gie.net.