What began this spring as a new idea to bring residents together to beautify Watersmeet has blossomed into a summer filled with flowers, volunteers, community partnerships, and pride.
The Watersmeet Beautification Committee was formed with a simple goal: to enhance the natural beauty of our community through small projects that make a visible difference. Residents—both full-time and seasonal—were invited to lend their time and talents to planting flowers, caring for garden beds, and improving public spaces throughout the community.
One of the summer’s highlights has been the creation of pollinator gardens at Watersmeet Pavilion Park, made possible through a generous grant from the Gogebic Conservation District.
After weeks of preparing the garden beds, volunteers came together to plant all of the pollinator plants provided through the grant. The gardens will provide valuable habitat for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators while adding beauty to the park for everyone to enjoy.
The project has truly been a community effort. Volunteers have contributed their time, energy, gardening skills, and enthusiasm to help bring the gardens to life.
And the work doesn’t stop with the planting. Volunteers are now in the summer-long watering and weeding phase, helping ensure that the gardens become established and thrive. The committee is especially grateful to the Watersmeet Fire Department for the use of its UTV and 100-gallon water tank, which has made keeping the new gardens watered much easier.
The summer has also brought another lasting addition to Pavilion Park—the Watersmeet Beautification Committee community mural, created by local artist Sarah Zelinski. Inspired by the committee’s logo, the mural celebrates community pride and volunteerism. As people participate in beautification projects, they can add their handprint to the mural, helping the community tree grow and come to life—one volunteer at a time.
From the first call for volunteers to the planting of hundreds of pollinator plants, the creation of new garden spaces, and the addition of a community mural, this first summer has demonstrated what can happen when people come together with a shared vision.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, donated, provided equipment, offered encouragement, or simply stopped to admire the work. And thank you to the Gogebic Conservation District, the Watersmeet Fire Department, our local volunteers, and everyone who has helped make these projects possible.
This is just the beginning. Together, we are making Watersmeet a more beautiful place to live, work, visit, and enjoy—one project, one flower, and one volunteer at a time.
If you are interested in volunteering for future projects please contact Denise Fauntleroy at 630-881-7252.
906-358-4501
