In Bloom
ORLANDO, Fla. — Slippery Rock In Bloom improved this year at the America In Bloom National Symposium and Awards.
The borough received a two-bloom rating on a scale of five at the national event held Thursday through Saturday in Orlando, Fla. Cindi Dillon, a Slippery Rock In Bloom committee member, said this was the same rating the borough got last year.
“However, we did better,” Dillon said.
She said that Slippery Rock’s percentage points went up.
Dillon met with the judges who visited the area and they said Slippery Rock improved in the heritage preservation, urban forestry, landscaping and floral displays categories.
“We’re edging up there,” 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.
This year, Slippery Rock competed against Echo, Ore.; Gallipolis, Ohio; and Castle Rock, Wash., in the under 4,000 population category.
Echo beat out the other three towns in the category.
Slippery Rock did win an award for most creative design using flower bulbs. Dillon said the 7,000 tulip bulbs planted in Memorial Park were the primary reason for the award.
“It just brought a lot of color to the town,” Dillon said.
Last year, Slippery Rock did not get any awards.
Additionally, Slippery Rock was one of the winners of the “Capturing the Spirit of America” photography contest sponsored by America in Bloom and GIE Media.
Dillon said Slippery Rock In Bloom will compete again next year.
“We look forward to working hard for next year,” Dillon said.
