Perfect Partners

Laura Kunkle

Earlier this month, Laura Kunkle, director of communications and membership at OFA, talked about how her organization and AIB continue to work with horticulture professionals, particularly retailers, to take beautification efforts to the next level.
 

America in Bloom and OFA have created a dynamic partnership. How did that came to fruition?
OFA has been actively involved in America in Bloom since its inception. OFA's then executive director, Dennis Kirven, and I were on the industry task force that was developed to create AIB. At that time OFA was simply providing minimal administrative support to the task force to help move the process forward. OFA's involvement grew after 2001 when America in Bloom went from a "what if" idea to an actual organization. It is a 501c3 charitable entity with official bylaws, governance structure and operating policies and procedures. Since the organization was legally formed 10 years ago, OFA has provided full management services to AIB, though OFA provides this service as an in-kind contribution to AIB.
 

What are some of the programs AIB has in place?
This is AIB's 10th anniversary of planting pride in America. The most visible part of AIB is the contest. In it, communities participate in friendly challenges and are evaluated by a team of professionally trained judges in eight criteria: floral displays, landscapes areas, urban forestry, turf and groundcover areas, environmental awareness, community involvement, tidiness and heritage preservation.

Awards are presented each year to winning cities during the annual educational symposium. More than 22 million people in nearly 200 cities have been affected by AIB through the contest and evaluation process.

The contest provides a unique way for retailers to connect with their community. By being actively engaged in a local AIB effort, retailers can highlight their commitment to community development, earn goodwill and sell more plants. There is a step-by-step guide on the AIB website (www.americainbloom.org) that illustrates how to get involved in AIB.

But AIB is more than the contest. The organization is touching millions of people each year through its robust website that has research about the economic and health benefits of horticulture and resources to help communities develop beautification programs. This information is available to everyone; retailers, in particular, should use this information to showcase to their customers the importance of flowers, plants and trees to their quality of life. The website is a great resource for educational information to be shared with customers.

AIB has a year-long webinar series occurring right now. Topics include showcasing the power of horticulture, helping communities get grants for beautification initiatives and finding volunteers to jumpstart a city's program.

We are excited about the 10th anniversary edition of the "Best Ideas" book that was published in July (See excerpt on Page S14). This award-nominated book series spotlights more than 2,000 of the best ideas from AIB cities over the past decade. It's an amazing publication that beautifully illustrates how AIB is connecting people to horticulture.

The educational symposium and awards program is the highlight of the year for many. AIB communities join together for three days of learning, idea sharing, networking. This year's symposium will be Oct. 6-8 in Washington, D.C.
 

Where is the partnership between OFA and AIB headed in the future?
AIB is an industry-led and supported program that OFA is proud to be associated with. OFA's board of directors and staff are fully committed to supporting AIB as it begins its second decade of planting pride in America.

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