By Tom Gilchrist
Staff Writer
VASSAR — If Vassar residents are anxious about traffic congestion along M-15 due to replacement of the bridge over the Cass River, volunteers plan to bring them flowers Saturday morning.
Fourteen thousand petunia plants, more specifically.
“We had thought of not planting petunias (along M-15) this year because of all the congestion, but I think this year is more important than ever to show people we are alive and we care, and we want some color,” said Jayne DuBois, leader of the flower-planting effort at 9 a.m. Saturday in Vassar.
Volunteers are welcome to assist in planting flowers, purchased from Abele Greenhouse & Garden Center near Saginaw. Volunteers should bring trowels and knee protection, and planting takes place from 9 a.m. to about 2 p.m., DuBois said.
“You would be surprised how many people come from the surrounding communities, not just Vassar,” said DuBois, noting this marks the 39th consecutive year volunteers have planted petunias in Vassar.
“We get volunteers from Frankenmuth, Mayville and up by Caro,” DuBois said. “They enjoy the flowers.”
Volunteers receive a free lunch about 11 a.m. at the park at M-15 and Division Street. Volunteers can assemble at the park or at Bullard Sanford Memorial Library along M-15.
The planting project typically costs about $4,000 for flowers and related supplies and expenses, DuBois said. Those wanting to support the project may make a check payable to “Keep Vassar Beautiful” and mail it to: Vassar Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 126, Vassar, MI 48768.
“I view flowers as a sign of community spirit, because without the community, we can’t do this,” said DuBois, one of a five-member group overseeing the planting project. Others include Paul Whitney, Louanne Campbell, Fran Emling and Betty Jo Atkins.
Youths from the Wolverine Human Services Vassar Campus will volunteer Saturday for the petunia planting project, DuBois said. Organizers buy mulch made of cocoa bean shells from a facility near the Pennsylvania complex where workers make Hershey’s Milk Chocolate candy.
“When you add water — because you have to put the mulch on wet — it smells like Cocoa Puffs when you walk up and down the street,” DuBois said.
The cocoa bean shells seem to have done wonders for soil in Vassar’s curbside planters along M-15, where road salt sometimes deposits, according to DuBois.
“We sent soil samples to (Michigan State University) and the return remarks were ‘Don’t plant in that soil; (flowers) aren’t going to grow,’” DuBois said.
After use of the mulch, though, MSU experts had a different take on soil samples.
“They said ‘We don’t know what you’re doing, but you have wonderful soil,’” DuBois said.