By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Upon hearing the news that the City of Whitewater did not have the resources to plant or water the several planter boxes in the downtown area, a group of local residents decided to help out by purchasing, donating some flower stock and doing the actual planting to make sure those flower boxes did not go empty this year.
With the approval of Public Works Director, Brad Marquardt and Streets Superintendent, Brian Neumeister and a generous donation of gift cards from Walmart, to date, four flats of annuals have been planted in the four large boxes at Cravath Lakefront Center as well as bulbs that will put on a beautiful show of color all summer. On Wednesday, May 10th, the “pop-up volunteer garden club” worked on the large planter boxes at the Lakefront park as well as adding some bulbs to the boxes across from the SweetSpot. The “crew” also began to clean up the area around the Birge Fountain on the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center grounds, planting the urns with flowers and pruning the rose bushes there.
The first members of this group are Sherry and Al Stanek and Rick and Jeanine Fassl. After a couple of phone calls by them, more help was found. The Living Word Fellowship on Main Street is sponsoring the two large flower boxes in front of their church. Fanatico’s and the SweetSpot are sponsoring the boxes in front of their restaurants. Common Council member Dave Stone offered to keep the four boxes planted at the Lakefront Park watered for the duration of the summer. And Tokyo Japanese Cuisine will keep the box in front of their restaurant watered this summer. Bonnie Miller planted and donated a big beautiful pot of flowers outside of the Municipal Building and a hanging basket has also been spotted hanging on the light pole outside of K-9 Haircare! The group was also contacted by Dawn Hunter who has planted the concrete planter located at the Prairie Tiller Mural!
Thank you to these residents and businesses who are volunteering to help beautify areas around Whitewater for residents as well as the many visitors who come to our city!
Update, 6/27/23 @ 4:20 p.m.: Jeanine Fassl shared that “there is an additional group helping to water the four urns by the Birge Fountain in Library Park. The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity across from the fountain has three members: Owen Russell, Cole McIlroy, and Kendal Thomson who’ve agreed to keep those urns watered this summer. This has truly been a community wide effort.”
Identification of photos:
First row of photos: Rick Fassl, Sherry Stanek, Al Stanek (L-R)
Photo in second row: Jeanine Fassl
