A New Year's Resolution for My Town
By Evelyn Alemanni
New Years resolutions are easy to make, harder to implement. That's why this year, I'm making them for my community in addition to myself, so I'll get lots of support!
How can that be? Well, first, by getting everyone on the same page, or at least, in the same book, on strategic direction. Giving priority to projects and identifying resources so we can not just start, but finish them by a deadline.
That's where America in Bloom comes in. The program provides a framework within which to plan for continuous improvements, and a deadline for finishing at least some of them. I started by making sure that members of our town council had a copy of America in Bloom's Best Ideas book. It is a tremendous resource that has already inspired some new ideas. It was fun to see our councilmember's mounting excitement as they thumbed through the book, saying, "If they can do it, so can we."
Next, I'm going to keep talking with the neighboring towns about being part of America in Bloom's 2011 program. Nothing like peer pressure to get the job done, and done well.
Finally, and this is my favorite part, I'm going to buy several crates of bulbs - freesias, narcissus, anemones and some surprises, and plant them in anticipation of a beautiful spring and to help make my town prettier. As soon as the weather warms a bit, we'll be distributing wildflower seeds for residents to sow along our main roads.
Happy New Year to all of you.
Remember the deadline for registration is February 28, 2011.
New Years resolutions are easy to make, harder to implement. That's why this year, I'm making them for my community in addition to myself, so I'll get lots of support!
How can that be? Well, first, by getting everyone on the same page, or at least, in the same book, on strategic direction. Giving priority to projects and identifying resources so we can not just start, but finish them by a deadline.
That's where America in Bloom comes in. The program provides a framework within which to plan for continuous improvements, and a deadline for finishing at least some of them. I started by making sure that members of our town council had a copy of America in Bloom's Best Ideas book. It is a tremendous resource that has already inspired some new ideas. It was fun to see our councilmember's mounting excitement as they thumbed through the book, saying, "If they can do it, so can we."
Next, I'm going to keep talking with the neighboring towns about being part of America in Bloom's 2011 program. Nothing like peer pressure to get the job done, and done well.
Finally, and this is my favorite part, I'm going to buy several crates of bulbs - freesias, narcissus, anemones and some surprises, and plant them in anticipation of a beautiful spring and to help make my town prettier. As soon as the weather warms a bit, we'll be distributing wildflower seeds for residents to sow along our main roads.
Happy New Year to all of you.
Remember the deadline for registration is February 28, 2011.
Posts
