MANSFIELD — The coalition to keep Mansfield beautiful met almost in its entirety on Tuesday evening.
The Mansfield Men’s Garden Club hosted its 42nd annual corn roast dinner and announced the recipients of the 2021 Beautification awards. A total of 19 winners in the residential, commercial/civic and member categories were recognized.
In its first year hosted at Kingwood Center Gardens’ carriage house, more than 100 people were in attendance, all of whom appreciate getting their hands dirty, said Garden Club president Doug Versaw.
“We want to recognize and encourage people to do this, so what better encouragement than to recognize their work?” Versaw said. “We hope it makes people proud to be part of Richland County.”
The purpose of the contest is to promote civic beautification. Six judges focused on choice of plantings, visual interest or special qualities. Features included are landscape-lawn features, annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, containers, specialty gardens and curb appeal.
One winner, Robert Kreiling, transformed his entire backyard into a vegetable garden. Another winner Bev Fasig, has been gardening for nearly 30 years.
“I’ve got an acre I tend to, and a two-acre wood next to me. I go with a very natural look,” Fasig said. “Every year or two I add a little something to it, and through the pandemic I had a little bit more time, so I added a few more things.
“There’s always something you can do to make it special,” she said. “I just love plants, I really do.”
Applicants are eligible to win only once every five years. A separate contest is held for members of the Mansfield Men’s Garden Club.
Winners in each category received an award recognition sign and a beautiful potted mum plant. The awards were sponsored by Wedgewood Estates.
The dinner was sponsored by Chuck Hahn and Cleveland Financial, who agreed to sponsor the dinner on the condition that the people who work to beautify downtown were also honored — people like Mario Burtin, who has the job of watering nearly 140 planters downtown.
In downtown Mansfield and beyond, progress and beautification continues. Jodie Perry, president and CEO of the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, said there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future.
“I would ask for each of you to help us by being an ambassador for our community — when people ask you, ‘What’s new in Mansfield?’ help us tell the story. Say something positive,” she said.
“That’s how we’re going to change the mindset, one conversation at a time.”
Residential winners:
• Marjorie Cutnaw, 415 Sherwood Drive
• Marjean Hickerson, 511 Westover Lane
• Jon & Lyvennia Sigler, 562 Dirlam Lane
• Bev Fasig, 1020 Skyline Drive
• Dennis & Barbara Snelson, 1198 Charwood Drive
• Jenny Morris & Regis Killiany, 1375 Graham Road
• Carolyn Au, 1564 Pin Oak Trail
• Ralph & Carolyn Dukes, 1636 Spring Village Lane
• Clara Young, 1675 Hanley Road
• Diana & Steven Fike, 1872 Blue Cedar Drive
• Robert Kreiling, 1999 Ranchwood Drive
• Darrell & Rose Bender, 3177 Cookton-Grange Road
Commercial/civic winners:
• Dan Lew Exchange/DLX, 28 N. Main Street, Mansfield
• Downtown Mansfield Inc., 128 N. Main Street, Mansfield
• Mechanics Bank, 2 S. Main Street, Mansfield
• Ontario City Building/Bill Flanagan, 555 Stumbo Road, Ontario
Mansfield Men’s Garden Club member winners:
• Dalton & Janeen Derr, 366 St. Andrews Court
• Jack & Carolyn Iliff, 1676 Wilmington Point
• Stephen & Linda Hunter, 3703 Shangri-La Avenue
