Celebrating Communities
Celebrating Communities
By Charlie Hall, AIB Past President
The AIB Symposium and Awards Program was held recently
in Arroyo Grande, CA and, as usual, was attended by many passionate and
enthusiastic folks. This small coastal town is an important horticultural
region with exceptional public gardens, magnificent historic trees, innovative
new green spaces, and picturesque natural landscapes.
Volunteers from states
participating in the national awards program attended the symposium to
celebrate the efforts their communities had achieved in preserving their local
cultural heritage, enhancing the environmental aspects of their spaces, and, of
course, beautifying their surroundings. It was an incredibly gratifying
experience to watch their excitement in being recognized and affirmed!
Of the numerous meetings I attend
each year, this one is a favorite of mine, not just because of the positive
attitudes, but because of the verification that the programs’ sponsorship
dollars have indeed made a difference in the lives of citizens all across
America and have furthered the use of flowers, shrubs, turfgrass, and trees
around the country. Let me express a huge thank you to all previous AIB
sponsors (and encourage those who have been on the fence to go ahead and make
the sponsorship that truly makes a difference).
Now in its 15th anniversary,
the program has not only conveyed the message of beautification, but one of
economic development, provision of environmental amenities, and enhancement of
health and well-being as well. Over 275 cities and several million citizens have
been exposed to AIB’s message, undoubtedly benefitting the countless local
businesses in those trade areas. While this alone is impressive, it is exciting
to consider that as AIB continues to expand, even more synergistic benefits
will likely result.
The education at this year’s
symposium was exceptional with so many good tips for communities to use in their
own local programs. It was definitely worth the price of the ticket just to
listen to the great insights offered by the speakers. Of course, the awards
portion of the symposium was the icing on the cake. While everyone inherently
knows that there are no losers in the program (given that communities obviously
gained directly from all of the hard work put in by AIB volunteers), it is
still nice to be recognized in some way.
Taking that to heart, one part of
the program this year involved every single community receiving recognition for
something the judges felt was outstanding about their respective communities.
Everyone learned a lot just from hearing the judges’ comments about what they
considered unique and special about their community!
It was an exciting time at the
symposium this year and I can’t wait to see what is in store for AIB
communities in 2017! See pictures from the 2016 symposium.
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