SLIPPERY ROCK — They’re doing it again.

Slippery Rock In Bloom is gearing up for its third year competing in America In Bloom, a national initiative where towns compete and work to improve.

On Oct. 26, 40 volunteers planted 5,000 flower bulbs in several locations in the borough, but mainly in Memorial Park.

“We incorporated them all through town,” said Slippery Rock In Bloom committee member Cindi Dillon.

On Nov. 10, volunteers from Slippery Rock University’s Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity planted an additional 2,000 bulbs. These bulbs did not arrive in time for the first planting.

Dillon praised the fraternity’s work, as well as the work of SRU’s Kappa Delta Phi and Golden Key groups.

“They show up all the time. Those three groups are phenomenal,” Dillon said.

She said the initiative has a solid group of volunteers, and often gets new volunteers.

“It really does bring the community together. That’s what this is all about,” Dillon said.

Slippery Rock In Bloom started in 2010 as the Slippery Rock Rotary Club’s president’s project.

Rotary members, committee members and volunteers spent much of late 2011 and early 2012 preparing for the judges’ arrival last year. They planted thousands of flowers, raised money and organized cleanup days.

Similar efforts took place in late 2012 and early 2013.

National judges visited for two days in June, and Slippery Rock won an award for most creative design using flower bulbs and was one of the winners of the “Capturing the Spirit of America” photography contest sponsored by America in Bloom and GIE Media.

Last week, the Slippery Rock Rotary Club was presented with a $5,000 check from the Shell Development Corporation for its work with Slippery Rock In Bloom. The money will go toward the project.

“We’re very pleased,” Dillon said.

She said that this was one of the largest donations in the project’s three-year history.

Committee members also will begin planning for the annual fundraising gala, which will be held sometime in April or May.

There also are a few new things the committee is working on.

This will be the first year that the committee will be giving out a “green thumb award,” which will be given to people, businesses or organizations that improve the space outside their home or building.

The committee worked with the borough and Butler County to get new, larger recycling containers for residents. These bins were distributed at the end of October.

The committee also will be meeting with BigBelly Solar, a Massachusetts company that makes trash cans and recycling containers featuring solar-powered compactors, to see if the company’s receptacles would be feasible in the area.

The initiative also has a new website, srinbloom.com.

To donate or volunteer, visit the website, send an e-mail to srbloom16057@gmail.com or call 724-406-0472.