‘So much love, pride, respect and history’

Denise Stone nominated Ben and Ann West for their fall display, which the couple created for the enjoyment and pride of their Berrydale community and for those who drive by it at 7505 Highway 4 in Jay (Berrydale). [Special to the Press Gazette]

MILTON — The Milton Garden Club presented the certificate of Community Pride Award for Outstanding Residential Fall Display to Ben and Ann West.

For more than 20 years the club has promoted beauty in Milton through its involvement in selected area beautification projects and "by rewarding the Community Pride Award to residents and businesses who do an outstanding job of creating and maintaining a pleasant landscape for their neighbors to enjoy," a club media release states.

Denise Stone nominated the Wests for their fall display, which the couple created for the enjoyment and pride of their Berrydale community and for those who drive by it at 7505 Highway 4 in Jay (Berrydale).

Stone stated in her online nomination that she "wanted to nominate the Wests for the Residential Community Pride Award, because it was a beautiful fall display for the community for the season."

The Milton Garden Club’s Community Pride Committee chairman agreed with Stone after her site visit and interview with the Wests.

During the interview, Ann thanked the Milton Garden Club "for being considered for the award," and praised the club for promoting gardening, offering educational workshops, encouraging civic beautification and for advocating native plants and environmental protection.

"Ben and Ann West are simply a delightful local couple, who for years made smaller displays for the community, but had missed a few in recent years,"

Margie　Baldwin said in a media release. "So, with the help of their niece Kathy Petersen, a loaned bale of hay from their neighbor and friend, Stewart Baxley, and locally grown pumpkins purchased just down the road, they decided to make a large fall display for their community with all of the colors and trimmings of fall surrounding a large round bale of hay right in front of their 25-foot lit flag pole waving the American flag.

"With so much love, pride, respect and history for their community, they do indeed deserve this award. Ben and Ann West are just good people gifting their community with such a display."

The Community Pride Award recognizes extra gardening or seasonal display effort that goes beyond what is normal for the area.

Do you think an area residential garden is noteworthy? Submit the contact information of nominees to CommunityPrideNominations@yahoo.com, nominate someone with the "Contact Us" form at www.MiltonGardenClub.com/contactus.html or leave a message at the MGC message center by calling 626-2003.

Nominations are solicited, collected, reviewed with site visits, interviewed and then voted upon to select the winner. Winners are then contacted to place the garden club’s Community Pride Award sign prominently on the award winner's property.

A photo is taken and sent to the Santa Rosa Press Gazette for publication.

WANT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE?

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: ‘So much love, pride, respect and history’