Purchase this image
By Bill Toscano
The Slate Valley Garden Club’s annual Beautification Awards keep getting bigger and bigger.
“It’s great to see so many people here,” project coordinator Nancy Williams said to the more than 50 people at the annual awards luncheon Aug. 1 at the Slate Valley Museum. “We have so many wonderful yards and places that we needed to have more honorable mentions.”
Six homes were cited for their gardens and yards, as well as two commercial buildings. In addition, two local residents received the “Green Glove” award for their help in downtown beautification.
Potter Avenue had two winners – Sue and John Hurley at 6 Potter Ave., and James and Judy Monroe at 27 Potter Ave. The Pine Street area was well-represented, with Paula and Bernie Bourgeois at 1 East Pine St. and MaryJane and Jim Brislin at 16 Pine St. getting awards.
Ed and Brenda Vladyka at 20 Elm St., and Denise and Jeff Davies at 4 Prospect were also honored.
Denise Davies had a good chuckle over the award.
“People think since I used to be a florist, I am a gardener. I am not,” she said. “I know what I want, and I know what I want it to look like, but I don’t know how to make it look the way I want. I need a gardener for that.”
Four homes also took honorable-mention prizes.
Quaker Street hit again with Gary and Terri Didier’s home at 5 Quaker St. being honored. Others included the 7 Norton Ave. home of Jason and Megan Mead, 4 Munson Drive, owned by Matt and Gail Mead, and Marylin Scarlotta’s home at 21 Williams St.
Commercial winners
The two businesses were both on Main Street. They were the Station House B&B at 77 Main St. and Scottie’s Restaurant at 20 Main St.
Mickey and Wayne Shaw own the bed-and-breakfast, and she said the flowers there started very simply when they moved there from 12 years ago.
“I had a garden when we lived on Route 22, and I just brought some plants from there,” she said.
Tom Scott, a former village mayor, said he was proud of the beautification movement.
“It’s very evident what’s going on in Granville,” he said. “I just do my little part. I just have a tiny little plot.
Scott says he approaches the tree and flowers in front of his restaurant as part of doing business.
“It’s the first thing people see when they come in, and it’s the last thing they see when they leave,” he said.
The club also honored Ernie Wood, who tends to the Chamber of Commerce’s flower boxes downtown and chamber President Charles King, who donates the tractor and equipment for the work.
More praise
Village Trustee Paul Labas was at the meeting and he had words of high praise for the group and its efforts.
“I want to give you my personal thanks, and I hope you’ll keep up the good work. I hope it catches on even more,” Labas said. “This gives us a little slice of heaven and gives people something to look at.”
Molly Celani Biggs, who ran beautification contest in the past, had a quick story at the end of the awards.
She was volunteering at the Slate Valley Museum and a couple came in.
“The woman asked me what happened to Granville,” she said, noting the question worried her at first. “She said, ‘Everything looks so perky. It’s upbeat and bright.’ She said it had not been at all like that when she visited five years ago. We’re making a difference.”
Comments
Read more in this week's Sentinel in newsstands now or click here to read right now with our e-edition.
