Albion students prep flowers for downtown

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 May 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – Albion AP biology students fill planters with flowers this morning. Some of the students include, from left: Kellie O’Hearn, Monica Benjovsky, Kelsey Schmitt and Kali Benjovsky.

ALBION – Students in Albion’s High School advanced placement biology class spent this morning filling 20 planters with flowers that should be set up in the downtown this afternoon.

Lisa Stratton and Debbie Grimm headed up the project for the Albion Main Street Alliance. The organization used a $1,000 donation from the Town of Albion and $500 from downtown businesses to purchase the flowers from Bertsch’s Good Earth Market, Kirby’s Farm Market and Navarra’s Greenhouses.

The flowers will be on Main and Bank streets. Students have helped prepare the planters the past several years.

“It’s a way to put some of our knowledge of plants into practical use,” said teacher Sandy Climenhaga. “We think it gives the students a sense of pride when they see the flowers downtown.”

Stratton and Grimm also are working to have flowers at Bullard and Waterman parks and also by the village welcome signs.

Bertsch’s, Kirby’s and Navarra’s all donated five hanging baskets for the downtown.

Allen Sanford, left, and Mike Patterson mix the dirt for the downtown flowers.