To the Editor:

The Ogdensburg Garden Club owes a huge thank you to 44 Ogdensburg area residents who sponsored the summer hanging baskets so far this year. The baskets were placed by the City DPW on Tuesday, June 1, the day after Memorial Day and they will be watering and caring for them throughout the summer.

Another huge thank you to them for pitching in to help when we needed it. While we are thanking folks we also need to give a big shout out to Tyler O'Grady and the BOCES horticulture students who planted all our baskets for us. They did a great job, and the baskets looked wonderful when they were hung.

The following people donated baskets in honor or memory of loved ones.

Ann Groome for Ruth & Earl Sukeforth

Donna Pirie for Keitha Tupper

Art & Dee Hurst for Myrtis Ashley

Debra Hannan for Lois Chase

Belgard & Finney family for Marion Belgard

Nancy Skiff for Virginia Cox, David Byers and Bud Skiff

Barbara & Steve Krauz for Serena (Sally) Cross

Marlene Smith for Shirley Perry

Jennifer Smith for Rita Smith

Mary Lou Ashley for Myrtis Ashley

Cindy & Jim Lyons-Hart for Betty & Al Lyons, Lucy & Jim Hart

Sandy Porter for Kathleen Porter

Alka Shrivastava for Rajni Lant Shrivastava

Jack & JoAnne Backus for Mort & Marie Backus, Joseph & Jennie Ward

Sarah Gilmour for Irma Markert

Francine Naccarato for Rose Naccarato & Joan Anastasio

Katherine Hannan Wears for Tom & Kay Hannan

Mike & Marita Looney for mothers Angela Helfen & Marjorie Looney

Luanne Herzog for Mary Pirie

Nancy Bouchard for Ann O'Neil

Sue Ellen McAdam for Martha Ellen Fisher

Rose Demers for Serena Cross

Phil & Paula Jacques for Hank & Winnie Bouchard and Marjorie Jacques

Jim & Wendy Flood for our moms

William Flynn for Suzanne Urban

Shirley Burns for Alice Burns & Grace Ames

Patricia E. Bell for Royce Timothy Bell

June Ross for Ronald Ross & Patrick Hackett

Andrew Wells for Everett Wells

Donna Bentley for Jean Sealey

Karlyen Manke for Denise Pitcher

Lee Jones for Paul & Laura Jones

Maple City Insurance for Andrea Bellinger

Others who gave with no designated honoree include:

Blue Heron Realty

Lynn & Char Widrick

Virginia Leamy

Phil & Mary Cosmo

Dr. Edward & Linda Tiernan Smith

Roberta Hagerty

Mike Skelly/JMS Contractors

Andy Fritz

Mary LaComb

Wilder-Forsythe Agency

an anonymous donor

The Garden Club is most grateful to all who have supported this summer beautification project and made it possible. We hope all will enjoy the baskets on State and Ford Streets during the summer. Somehow it is especially gratifying this summer, after we have all been cooped up for so long, to be able to add a touch of beauty to our city.

Thank you again to all who have helped make it possible.

Ogdensburg Garden Club volunteers also maintain our major gardens in the City, and we invite you to stop by and see them, maybe take a stroll around the grounds. At Library Park we plant and take care of the plantings around the Gazebo, the two large gardens on either side of the statue, and the gardens at the front entrance to the library.

If you cross the street you can visit the gardens at Kids Place, part of the Remington Museum and where our Youth Garden Club members work and learn. Strolling toward the river you can find the Agarwal Garden next to the Dobisky Center.

And finally, if you drive out Rt. 37 toward Morristown you will see the Arterial Garden just past the United Helpers complex of buildings and at the turnoff to Main St. Many of the plants in these gardens are grown for us in the horticulture program at Riverview Prison. It is their willingness to participate in this way that enables us to afford the variety of flowers we enjoy. We thank them for their years of cooperation and generosity.

It's a beautiful time of year to be outdoors and enjoy the place we live. We hope these gardens can add to your enjoyment. Come and see them!

Lin Griffin
Ogdensburg Garden Club President