BERLIN – Residents are once again urged to get outside and help beautify the town during Take Pride in Berlin Week.
The annual event, which runs from April 17-22, encourages the town’s citizens to take pride in their community, whether through neatening their own yards or helping in the town-wide cleanup on Earth Day on April 22.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to volunteer,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director. “It gives everyone the opportunity to be outside, meet your neighbors and get your yard together. You could even host your own community cleanup.”
While Take Pride in Berlin Week occurs each year, the 2023 rendition features a new addition. Throughout the week, local nonprofits will be setting up in front of the Berlin Welcome Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. On Monday, The Grace Center will be set up. On Tuesday, the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum will be featured. On Wednesday, We Heart Berlin will be set up. On Thursday and Friday, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling and the Berlin Lions Club will be featured. All nonprofits chosen reside in town limits.
Wells said the idea of incorporating nonprofits into Take Pride in Berlin Week was suggested by administrative assistant Allison Early.
“Berlin nonprofits like The Grace Center and We Heart Berlin mean a lot to me and do such amazing things for our community, mostly under the radar,” Early said. “I saw this as an opportunity to give them a spotlight and a heavily visited area to fundraise. Helping our nonprofits directly benefits our town and there is no better way to take pride in Berlin than that.”
The week culminates with a day of gardening led by the Berlin Horticultural Advisory Committee. Residents who want to help out are encouraged to bring their shovels and meet committee members at the Berlin Welcome Center at 8:30 a.m. on April 22. No experience is required and community service hours are available.
Committee member Andrea Weeg said various areas in town will be targeted for planting that morning. One of those is the garden at Stephen Decatur Park.
“There are a lot of weeds in there,” she said. “We’ll need help planting. People who like gardening, it’ll be great for them.”
For those who want to work on a blank slate, planting is planned for the new pocket park near the mural honoring Rev. Dr. Charles Albert Tindley. A sign sharing information about Tindley will be installed in the center of the small garden space this week. On Saturday, volunteers will have the opportunity to add plants.
“That’s a fun project because it’s a brand new garden,” Weeg said.
Volunteers are also needed to help fill five new planters for William Street as well as window boxes for town hall.
On Main Street, the committee is focusing on the garden at the memorial located at the intersection with West Street. Weeg said red, white and blue annuals will be added to the space.
“We want it to look nice for Memorial Day,” she said.
Weeg said families are welcome to participate and those with children will likely be assigned to Stephen Decatur Park, as it’s a more child-friendly area than the streetside locations.
While there are plans to add plants t Henry Park, Weeg noted that wouldn’t take place on April 22 because that was a larger project that required more cleanup and planning. The horticultural committee is currently working to get feedback from community members on the redesign of the garden there.
For more information on Take Pride in Berlin Week visit the event page on Facebook or email [email protected].
“It’s the community getting together to show their pride in where we all live,” Wells said. “It’s a great chance to get outside.”
