John Anderson, St. Joseph
It’s 4 a.m. when I start my rounds delivering breakfast to the hanging flowers on Minnesota Street and College Avenue. Yeah, I’m one of those retired guys who apparently has nothing better to do in the predawn hours. Make no mistake, it’s still dark out and the plants in the baskets at the beginning of my route can’t see me and I can barely see them.
I note which are thriving and which are struggling and communicate encouragement, telepathically of course, lest I get locked up for talking to myself in the dark. When one is out on the street at that time of day/night there aren’t a lot of passersby or even any traffic to speak of, so I have a lot of time to think, to ponder the universe as it were. As subject matter, I try to stay away from politics, which I consider to be imponderable. I might consider why 20 years after all my boys have left the nest, why do I still have 350 pounds of baseball and basketball cards in my closets? No exaggeration. But this day my thoughts go to “eye candy.” As the sky in the East starts to lighten and I can make a better visual connection with my plant clients, I wonder how many people who stroll the streets in St. Joseph know how this candy for the eyes comes to be. I imagine most folks think the floral decorations are put up by “City Hall.” Some probably think the money could be used better elsewhere. They might be surprised to learn very little of the resources used come from “City Hall.”
You see, me and the other two retired guys who provide sustenance to the baskets daily, we’re not volunteering our time and Thomsens greenhouse isn’t doing it for free either. It takes literally thousands of dollars to put on this non-explosive fireworks display. The coordination of the hanging baskets and the fundraising required is done by an unsung group that seeks no glory. It is Carol Thiesen, Joyce Faber, Nell Pfannenstein and Margie Hughes who go hat in hand to service clubs and businesses asking for donations to sustain the program. They also perform inspections and major maintenance when required, and I often wonder if one of the faceless folks behind the bright headlights is actually Carol checking to make sure “her plants” are getting fed. Regular folks also may not realize they can adopt a basket or two or three to help sustain this effort that creates the kind of display that my out-of-town visitors always comment on. If this “eye candy” makes you feel just a little bit prouder of the city you live in, consider a donation by giving Carol a call at 320-363-8496 or 320-249-7676 or Joyce at 320-363-7682 and at no cost give Carol and her group a pat on the back. The proceeds of the Y2K Lions brat sale at the St. Joseph Meat Market the last weekend in June will go to support this project. A treat for the taste buds is a treat for the eyes.
