Volunteers beautify Poland

By KATIE SEMINARA

Members of Town One Streetscapes planted flowers around town Saturday.

POLAND — Whether age 79 or 5, some dedicated residents of Poland got a little dirt under their nails on Saturday.

Town One Streetscapes, a volunteer-based club, conducted a flower-planting day to beautify the U.S. Route 224 bridge, Main Street bridge and Peterson Park.

Twenty or so prepared volunteers met at the Poland Library with watering cans, shovels and gloves in hand.

John Scotford Jr., 45, treasurer of Streetscapes, had three helpers at his hip.

“We are experienced veterans,” he said of himself and three children Sydney and Sam, 7, and Jimmy, 5.

“Streetscapes’ mission is to assist Poland in improving streets, sidewalks, flowers and parks,” said Scotford, who has been with Streetscapes since its beginning in 1997.

After flowers were distributed from the back of Streetscapes landscaping chairwoman Barb Delisio’s minivan, volunteers were split into two groups and given a lesson in flower arranging.

On the Route 224 bridge was twosome Jenna Diorio, 22 and her sister Melanie, 20.

“I came because Melanie was coming,” said Jenna.

Melanie, a student at Youngstown State University, needs to accumulate 60 hours of volunteer work for a scholarship.

“I thought this would be a fun and different volunteer experience,” she said.

The Main Street bridge had a similar family feel, as three sets of related hands were in one flower box at the same time.

Julia Wilson, 15, Kathryn Wilson, 10 and Lauren Beil, 16, were hauled out of bed by their grandmother, Susan Beil, 67, to plant flowers.

“I just joined Streetscapes late last year. I like to pick up trash and plant flowers. Those are my hobbies,” said Susan.

Growing up, Susan said her family always went on picnics. Her mother taught them to make the place look better than it did when they got there.

She is trying to teach her grandchildren that same value.

“I get the red one,” Kathryn said, picking up a flower she didn’t know the name of. She enjoys the smell of the flowers, and said she was just happy to be outside.

Upon completion of the bridge boxes, the group of volunteers moved to Peterson Park for more planting and decorating for the Memorial Day parade.

Flags were hung on the clock tower and lined the park sidewalks.

There are about 25 committed residents who are always devoting time to making Poland a better place, according to Bob Mastriana, Streetscapes’ chairman of membership and infrastructure.

“These people are zealous about their community and that’s what sets Poland apart from other communities,” said Mastriana.

With his 80th birthday right around the corner, Streetscapes member Ted Heineman was on his knees in the dirt and grass.

Heineman is a retired engineer, and has helped design and build many of the Streetscapes projects.

“What you do is see a deficiency and you fill it. You don’t wait for others,” said Heineman, who believes it takes vision to improve the area.

Streetscapes meets every first and third Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the lower level of the Poland Public Library.