It's Spring Again in Geneva- Time for Planting

It's spring again in Geneva - time for planting

GENEVA - People planting pretty pansies might sound like a tongue-twister, but that's exactly what people will be doing in Geneva this weekend.

With the help of the Geneva Beautification Committee and more than 100 volunteers, thousands of flowers will find their way to dozens of planting areas downtown Saturday with the help of the Geneva Beautification Committee and more than 100 volunteers.

With the planting of the pansies each year, it's official - spring has come to Geneva.

"That usually is the kickoff for me," said Dorothy Flanagan, the committee's co-chairperson and Geneva's 4th ward alderman. "It makes me feel just like spring when we're out there."

"We always can use extra hands; that's a given," Flanagan said. "It's just a great community spirit that you feel out there, and anybody who's passing by thanks us."

About 2,700 flowers, donated by the Geneva Greenhouse on Western Avenue, will be planted, and greenhouse manager Craig MacLean said that is just the tip of the iceberg.

"That's just the opening teaser," he said. "After that, they get serious."

The next planting will be on May 20, when more than 10,000 flowers are expected to go into gardens and planters downtown. After that, a fall planting will add even more depth and color to Geneva's downtown.

In 1993, Geneva 5th Ward Alderman Paul Des Coteaux spearheaded the Geneva Beautification Committee, which has grown to about 150 members since its inception.

Flanagan said Des Coteaux, who was honored last spring for his commitment to the beautification of Geneva, still is an instrumental part of the committee. He, along with the committee's other leaders Chris Goulet and Sherri Weitl, deserve much of the credit for organizing the work the committee does, she said.

"It started out with just the flower beds on State Street, and it's grown and expanded and now there's flower beds all over the place now," MacLean said. "It's just really nice that Geneva is blessed with volunteers who enthusiastically get out there and help make the town beautiful."

Anyone is welcome to help. Just show up at the Geneva Post Office on Third Street at 8 a.m. Saturday, and a committee member will be waiting with supplies and instructions.

Want to help?

Members of the Geneva Beautification Committee will be at the Geneva Post Office on Third Street at 8 a.m. on Saturday to hand out supplies and instructions.

Anyone interested in helping to plant flowers or clean up areas is welcome to help out.

If it rains, planting will take place on Sunday.