by Dianne Percefull
In the community spirit and under the guidance of Master Gardener, Maud Huber, Van Buren County Master Gardeners worked their magic transforming the entrance to the newly renovated Our Towne Conference and Visitor Center into a beautiful fall scene for the grand reopening event on October 12, 2013. Using pots of yellow and burgundy mums purchased from Cathy’s Nursery in Clinton and containers of ferns and grasses on loan from local residents the entrances of the Our Towne Conference and Visitor Center came alive with fall colors welcoming visitors and local residents alike to the Grand Opening and 2013 StoryFest in the Bay. A special Thank You goes to Marti Herron for the generous donation of a beautiful stone Japanese garden lantern which was installed with TLC by a city maintenance team. Thank you to all the local residents that loaned their beautiful plants to make the decoration of the entrances a successful endeavor. Huber said; “I really appreciate everyone’s hard work getting those Conference and Visitor Center beds prepared for the grand opening. It took over 101 man hours. I am amazed with the teamwork and flexibility with personal time that came into play. Thanks to every one of you for your hard work. It really looked great! Volunteers that contributed those hours cleaning up, ripping out overgrown plants and weeds, spraying wayward grass and plants, mulching, and decorating: Sharon and Bob Berdine, Maud and George Huber, Bob and Marie Pett Ed and Annalee Culp, Lillian and Howard Pitt, Al Marron, Claudia Sands Dianne Percefull, Eleanor Hilsenrath Dan and Mary Ratliff, Linda Pratt Sandy and Ken Schutte, Fred Herman Mary Lou Horvath