Barbecue to raise funds for beautification

Now that the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce town beautification project can be seen from Central Avenue to the Fort Frances Cemetery, the committee is looking for the public’s support to keep its momentum going.
The community will a chance to do that when a barbecue is held at the Chamber office on Scott Street (across from Safeway) from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. this Friday (July 13) to raise money for this year’s project.
“We haven’t got the extra funding to go towards this–that’s why we’re having the barbecue,” said Crystal Godbout, community development project co-ordinator for the Chamber.
For $3, you can support the project and get yourself a hot dog, drink, and dessert in one shot. And there will be picnic tables set up so you don’t have to eat elsewhere.
There also will be a bake sale, balloons, “tattoos,” and face-painting for the kids.
Godbout is hoping the appeal of the flower planters on the islands at intersection of Second Street East and Central Avenue, as well as the 30 flower baskets hanging on telephone poles from there to the cemetery, will be reason enough to support the project.
“It definitely adds to the look of the town. I’ve heard some good comments already,” Godbout noted. “And I hope everyone is pleased with it.
“If we get lots of support, we can add more and more in the future. Not necessarily flowers but anything to spruce things up,” she added.
“I’d like to stress that this benefits the whole community, even if it’s only seems like a small portion so far–you’ve got to start somewhere.”
The committee had planned to also have flower planters on the large island at the east end of Scott Street but found it economically unfeasible this year.
Friday’s barbecue is the second one the Chamber has organized for the project. The first was held June 28 in conjunction with the BIA’s “Mall Day.”
“It went all right. But because there were so many barbecues, it didn’t go as well as we’d have liked,” admitted Godbout. “And if we would have know there’d be so many, we probably would have waited.”
Other aspects of the project include a mural on the west wall of the Masonic Temple on Scott Street and the Fort Frances Rotary Club’s renovations at McIrvine Park.
In related news, you also can support the beautification project by dropping any cash donation in small flower pots, labelled “Help Our Community Grow,” now seen by the tills in some Chamber of Commerce businesses.