Courtesy photo A pair of volunteers plant flowers in downtown Alpena last spring.

ALPENA, MI – As spring draws near, the Alpena Downtown Development Authority (DDA) is looking for community members, businesses, and organizations who want to help downtown get ready for the summer by donating to the downtown flower fund or attending a planting day on May 30.

Now in its fifth year, the efforts started in 2022 as a collaborative project led by volunteer Julie Dietz, Alpena Mayor Cindy Johnson, and the Alpena DDA as a way to beautify the flower beds around the trees throughout the downtown. In 2024, Huron Pines joined the efforts and helped to select native plants that would be planted around the trees and in other garden areas downtown. Since then, over a thousand native plants, including black eye susan, coneflower, foxglove beardtongue, sand coreopsis, and wild bergamot have been planted trees throughout the downtown district. Each year, the native plants are supplemented with annual begonias to add additional color and coverage.

For $50, individuals, businesses, and organizations can sponsor a flat of flowers that will be planted downtown. A majority will be planted in the tree boxes along the main corridors of Chisholm St and 2nd Ave. Each sponsor will have a small sign that will be placed near their tree to acknowledge their generosity towards the initiative. The donor chooses what is written on the sign; many donate in honor or memory of a loved one.

On May 30, from 9 a.m.until noon, volunteers can join to plant the flowers and get downtown ready for summer. Volunteers should meet in Culligan Plaza on the corner of Chisholm St. and 2nd Ave. and bring garden gloves and any small flowers. The DDA and Huron Pines will then send volunteers on their way to a specific part of downtown to plant.

“Each year, this initiative grows with more individuals and groups wanting to help beautify our downtown,” said DDA Executive Director Anne Gentry. “We are grateful for our donors and volunteers that help out every year and partners like Huron Pines that have helped us transition to flowers that are beneficial to pollinators and our environment. We get positive comments each year about the flowers that are throughout our downtown every year, and it truly makes downtown so much more beautiful and welcoming.”

Donations may be made online below or by mailing a check to: Alpena DDA, 124 E. Chisholm St., Alpena, MI 49707. People can also donate online: https://downtownalpena.square.site/

For further information on the initiative or to donate or volunteer, please call 989-356-6422 or contact the DDA at downtownalpenami@gmail.com