Every year, Millet participates in the Communities in Bloom program. This contest has both a local and a national component. The local judging took place from July 12 to 16. Judge Sharon Gair visited nominees, judging their gardens and yards on tidiness, overall appeal, floral combinations, landscaping, and environmental awareness –such as the use of rain barrels.
The winners were; Scissors Hair Studio (Business), the Millet and District Historical Society (Organization), the Pipestone Creek Park Entrance adopted by Jerome and Mary Kroening (Adopted Garden), Brent and Sheila Hutzul (Waterfall Feature), Lennie Taylor (Window Box Special Feature, Mike and Myrna Lalande (Vegetable Garden), Lisa Schoening (Most Improved), Sherman and Val Lane (Mobile Residence), Don and Shirley Wark (Front Yard), Wayne and Audrey Smith (Back Yard), Jim and Audrey McConnell (Overall), and Marlene Alberts Wadsworth and Tony Wadsworth (Canada 150).
These winners were recognized on Tuesday, July 25 at the Millet in Bloom Awards Ceremony. Also recognized were the Millet in Bloom Volunteers, including volunteers receiving awards for reaching milestones with the program; Jerome and Mary Kroening (5 yrs), Darlene Pohl (10 yrs), Darlene Kenyon (20 yrs), Glenn and Rose Norby (20 yrs), and Carol Sadoroszney (20 yrs). This year alone the Millet in Bloom volunteers have put in over 3,000 volunteer hours towards the program.
Millet was pleased to host national judges Jim Baird and Evelyn Alemanni, on Wednesday, July 26. As a previous national winner, Millet competes in the Circle of Champions level, beside other national winners. The competition evaluates communities on far more than just their floral displays, such as general tidiness, community involvement, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry (tree maintenance and planting), and landscape.
The results of the national competition will be announced during the National Symposium and Awards Ceremony, from September 13-16, 2017.