Despite a thunderstorm from Mother Nature and a worn out transformer from Father Time, the America In Bloom judges were given a whirlwind tour of Ironton this past Friday and Saturday.

They were here to look the city over and see how the citizens, businesses and government all worked together to make Ironton worthy of an award from America In Bloom.

Awards will be announced in October of this year. What the judges could not know is how hard everyone worked and how proud we all should be of the results.

Take a drive down Park Avenue or look at our city streets. Sure, we still have some work to do, but for the first year of trying, Ironton looks great!

We, as the committee of Ironton In Bloom, took an idea and crossed our fingers, and hoped that a difference could be made in our city.

And, boy, did that idea ever blossom. From businesses, individuals and clubs stepping forward to help us raise funds, to individuals chairing committees, pulling weeds and sweeping sidewalks,

talking to endless clubs and organizations and keeping the citizens informed through the newspaper, the idea blossomed.

We have so many people to thank.

The City of Ironton government, department heads and employees, The Ironton Tribune, the downtown businesses, businesses outside our community, individuals both here and away from here, the family of Joan Slagel, people who stepped up to chair our committees, Dr. Bill Dingus for the idea and guidance, the people who took time to talk with the judges, Ralph Kline for his vast knowledge,

Mayor Rich Blankenship, the Ironton Rotary Club for starting us off financially,

the Garden Club, Master Gardeners, the Foundation for the Tri-State,

Judy Sanders, St. Mary’s Medical Center,

US Bank, King’s Daughters Medical Center, Marathon Petroleum, Briggs Library, LEDC, Maw Maw Shirley’s Greenhouse, Doug and Ruth Cade, the Chamber of Commerce and the list goes on and on.

This project could not have taken place without you.

I would also like to thank the other board members — Carol Allen, Randy Lilly and Viviane Vallance and the committee chairpersons. They are a dedicated, hardworking, energetic group of people who are wonderful to work with.

Ironton In Bloom is an ongoing project.

The yard of the month runs from June to October with talks of expanding into other months.

Meetings are the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, beginning again in August at the city building.

Come join us and be a part of this exciting project. No matter what happens in October, we’ve already won.

Let’s keep it going.

CINDY CASKEY

Ironton in Bloom board member