"BLOOM with XENIA Adopt-A-Spot"

The City of Xenia Board for Recreation, Arts, and Cultural Activities (BRACA), in collaboration with the
Greene County Master Gardeners (GCMG) and the Xenia Area Merchants Association (XAMA), are
excited to announce the "BLOOM with XENIA … Adopt-A-Spot" program!

This collaborative effort was born by the Greene County Master Gardeners, Carol Atzbach, to be specific, based on the City’s on-going need for support to maintain, enhance, and beautify the flower beds and flower pots located in and around our downtown. Due to the City's significant budget cuts and reduction in staffing in recent years, the flower beds and flower pots were not given priority treatment – and it shows. We want to change that … one flower at a time!

This year, we are launching the "BLOOM with XENIA … Adopt-A-Spot" program to allow individuals, families, businesses, community groups, non-profits, church groups, PTOs, etc., to adopt downtown flower beds and flower pots. In total, there are 22 flower beds and 32 flower pots.

The City of Xenia will provide the following support:

* Flowers for 4 flower pots around City Hall
* Flowers for 8 flower pots on each corner at Main and Detroit Streets (2 on each corner)
* Routine watering will be done by City Public Service Workers (*more frequent watering may need to be done by the adoptee of the flower pots depending the weather)
* Mulch will be provided for all flower beds on Volunteer Day on May 15th
* Debris removal (trash from flower beds, removal of weeds, last year’s dead growth, etc.) will be done on Volunteer Day on May 15th
* Publicity of the program to include signs to acknowledge the adoptees of each flower bed or flower pot (Thanks to the Xenia High School Industrial Technology Department students for making the wooden signs!)

The Greene County Master Gardeners will provide the following support:

* Training on good gardening practices (learn the difference between a weed vs. a flower, how to stage plants and flowers, annuals vs. perennials, etc.)
* General support for those wanting to adopt a flower bed or flower pot

XAMA will participate with helping to promote and support the program. Many downtown businesses are a member of XAMA and each have flower beds and flower pots in front of or near their storefronts. A small sign will be placed in the window of a participating business to acknowledge an adoptee of a nearby flower bed or flower pot.

So, can we count on YOU to help Xenia grow, BLOOM, and prosper? Will you Adopt-A-Spot and help us make Xenia a more beautiful place to live, work, and play? Contact Carol Atzbach, Master Gardener, at 374-1202 as soon as possible to claim your Spot! Or, stay tuned for more details on Volunteer Day on May 15th where unclaimed flower beds and flower pots will be up for grabs! For general questions about the program, you can also contact Xenia City Councilwoman Jeanne Mills, who serves as Chair of BRACA, at 673-8347 or at jmills@ci.xenia.oh.us.

We look forward to having you "BLOOM with XENIA!"