For several years now it has been my privilege to photograph Caddo’s “Yard of the Month”. This is an honor bestowed by the Town Restoration Association, and although it is no longer accompanied by a monetary reward, I think it is still as popular as it was at its inception. We place a sign in their yard and post their photo in the paper and on the town bulletin board. At the end of the year a “Yard of the Year” winner is honored at Heritage Day.
This afternoon I will photograph the winner for May, and as always I know will be blessed by the experience. It is always enjoyable to talk to a fellow gardener and to see what ideas they have incorporated into their yard.
What I thought about this morning as I looked at my schedule was how this little project has changed our town. Caddo has always had a number of people who care about their homes and take great pride in their yards. But I think our little friendly competition has added to their ranks! And once someone has been chosen, they tend to keep their yard maintained. After all, they have a reputation to uphold!
It has also been interesting to see and hear the response of friends, relatives, and neighbors. What often happens is that the winner influences several others on their block. So everyone benefits from the efforts of that hard-working gardener.
We all need a “pat on the back” once in a while and I’m happy to be a part of a group that does that for our residents. I think every community would benefit by recognizing those citizens who are helping to create a better environment for themselves and for those around them!
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