Ironton in Bloom would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful “YES” people of Ironton.

By “YES” people we mean those who, when presented with new ideas that might improve our community, invariably say, “Yes, I think it might work; Let‘s try it,” and “Yes, I will help!”

Since its inception, Ironton in Bloom has contracted with Mawmaw’s Greenhouse, agreeing to pay them the cost, not only of planting all the beautiful downtown pots and hanging baskets, but also for the major task of watering, fertilizing, and maintaining the plants throughout the entire summer, then replacing them with pansies in the fall.

This is an expensive venture and we totally rely on donations from businesses and individuals, along with the fundraising projects we do ourselves.

This summer we decided to try an “Over the Back Fence” yard tour as a money-raiser.

Thanks to the many people who said “yes” it was a great success, even with showers and record-breaking high temperatures that July weekend.

More than 100 people from the surrounding area bought tickets to see the unique yards of the Browns, Bowens, Cades, Castles, McMahons, Tripletts, and Wallers.

Thank you Lawrence County Museum and their volunteer docents who agreed to add an hour to their day to serve as hosts, along with garden club members Sheila Tackett and Doris Hannon. Many people brought homemade cookies and McDonald’s supplied iced tea.

Thanks to the CAO, Weber’s Florists, M&M Realty, Unger’s Shoes, and Katrina Keith at the City Center for selling tickets. Thanks to Elaine Payne, Printing Express, Brennan Cleary’s and Dave Edwards’ art students at Ironton middle and high schools, and the Lawrence County CVB for designing and printing posters, signs, and tickets.

Thanks to David Phillips at Tracy Brammer’s Funeral Home for the chairs, all those businesses who let us use their windows to display posters and flyers, and The Tribune and Herald Dispatch for their excellent coverage of the event.

Thanks to all who bought tickets, and supported us in so many ways. This was definitely a ‘team’ project. We couldn’t have done it without you!

We still have several thousand dollars to raise to pay for this summer’s floral display. If you’d like to help, you may send your donation to Ironton In Bloom Inc., P.O. Box 4599, Ironton.

On behalf of my fellow “Over The Back Fence Yard Tour co-chairperson Jan Wolfe, we offer ou most sincere thank you.