The Palmyra Improvement Association assembled Saturday, April 29 to weed and plant the flower beds on Broad Street in anticipation of next week’s Palmyra Downtown and Public Safety Day.
On Saturday, April 29, volunteers with the Palmyra Improvement Association pulled stubborn and deep-rooted weeds from overgrown flower beds along Broad Street to make room for colorful flowers as part of the association’s Clean-Up Day. The goal was to beautify Broad Street between Leconey and Garfield avenues in preparation for the influx of people who were coming downtown to celebrate Palmyra Downtown and Public Safety Day on Saturday, May 6.
Pulling weeds not only from Palmyra’s flower beds but from Palmyra’s image is at the very root of of what the organization’s founder, John Casparro, is trying to do.
“The biggest thing is really appearance and the way that you know the town is perceived by others,” Casparro said of the organization’s efforts to improve Palmyra’s aesthetics.
Casparro said his background in retail development had him surveying downtown wondering what he could do to make Broad Street more inviting. He noticed the town had existing flower boxes and thought to himself it wouldn’t take much to weed some of the more overgrown and plant hardy flowers.
With the idea in mind, Casparro took to Facebook to see if his fellow residents shared his interest in beautifying the town. He said the response was unexpectedly strong, and with that, he set about creating the PIA, a non-profit with the goal of beautifying Palmyra’s public spaces. Clean-Up Day marked the association’s first major project.
Volunteers met at Palmyra’s Band Shell at 9 a.m. Saturday morning where they were greeted by a colorful display of burgundy halo and polka dot vincas. Despite the heat, volunteers were eager to weed, mulch and plant the flower beds running through the center of town.
The flowers were funded by donations to the PIA, and Casparro said he consulted with the Riverton Improvement Association for ideas about conducting Clean-Up Day and acquiring the flowers.
PIA volunteer Ruth Yetter said she was amazed by how quickly the PIA has taken off. She said she was happy to help give Palmrya’s Broad Street some curbside appeal.
“You have a train running through [town], so many people see your town, and you want them to see good things,” Yetter said.
PIA volutneer Sean Collingsgru said it felt good to do something physical to improve the town.
“I take pride in my town, so I want to be an example for other people to do the same,” Collingsgru said as he pulled juniper and other weeds from an overgrown flower bed.
Collingsgru said he knows the PIA is only in the early stages, but he said he would be more than willing to do monthly maintenance projects to ensure any work the PIA puts in doesn’t go to waste.
Laura Cloud said she and her husband, Mike, have lived in Palmyra for almost four years, and they wanted to give back to their home.
“It feels like being invested in where we live,” Cloud said as she arranged purple and white flowers around Palmyra’s town clock.
Cloud said she is looking forward to getting involved in planning future PIA events, which she thinks will be a great way to get to know more of her neighbors.
Casparro said he anticipates Clean-Up Day becoming an annual event for the PIA, and he said he hopes that once residents see the flowers along Broad Street, they’ll want to join in.
