FROM STAFF REPORTS

HELENA–On Saturday, March 3 the Helena Beautification Board held its annual Clean Up Day in Old Town Helena where numerous volunteers offered to help spruce up the area.

“We had 35 Helena residents participate working on a new beautification project sponsored by the board,” Helena Beautification Board Chairman Chris VanCleave said. This year’s event was a targeted effort to prepare for our annual planting day and was a big success. We had over grown juniper shrubs and non-blooming wisteria removed from the pergola at the entrance to the Welcome Center. This removal revealed some beautiful stone work and gave us an opportunity to repair the pergola and have it re painted. Plans are now under way to replant that area with beautiful flowering shrubs and climbing roses.”

“Volunteers worked to prepare the new planting beds, pulled weeds and thinned and divided daylilies,” Beautification Board Vice Chairman Brian Puckett said. Daylilies are easily divided and transplanted. This year’s educational element during the event was showing volunteers how to dig and divide daylilies. Once divided, the daylilies were then replanted in a bed at the entrance to the Helena Sports Complex. The board’s goal is to be good stewards of city resources and the environment by planting hardy perennials that can be divided and multiplied throughout the city’s landscape.”

The board would like to thank all the residents and groups that participated in the event. The Helena Beautification Board’s next event will be the Annual Basket Planting Day scheduled for April 14, from 8 a.m. to noon. Additional information will be available closer to the event on the board’s Facebook Page.

The Helena Beautification Board is an appointed board of the Helena City Council. The board believes that people and places are profoundly connected and thriving communities are rooted in individual responsibility and action. They host a variety of opportunities for the community to come together and serve each year. Events are posted on the Helena Beautiful Facebook page and announced via Twitter at @TweetHomeHelena.

To view more information and pictures from the event, visit Helenabeautiful.com.