Meeker

‘Flower pot girls’ plan to beautify Meeker streets

MEEKER — Three days into my first week as membership coordinator of the Meeker Chamber of Commerce, I was told my schedule included a “flower pot meeting” at Ma Famiglia restaurant.
“What’s a flower pot meeting?” I asked.
“You’ll find out,” was all I was told.
Well, the “flower pot girls,” as they have named themselves, turned out to be four dedicated chamber board members: Becky Hindman, Margie Joy, Cindy Welle and Kim O’Connell, who were carrying on the dream and vision of making Meeker beautiful every summer. As they began their discussions, it appeared that most of the whiskey barrels used the previous years have deteriorated and moved to whiskey barrel heaven. Now, they face the challenge of keeping the streets of Meeker beautiful in the summertime with a more permanent solution. Ideas and enthusiastic brainstorming ensued with a tentative plan for the upcoming season.
I soon learned that the flower pots have been a part of Meeker for a few years.
As Wendy Gutierrez, a committed community leader who had donated years of “flower pot” planning and execution explained, “The process included purchasing the flowers in early spring, moving them to a greenhouse in the area to carefully tend until the weather permitted planting, then rounding up volunteers to plant and then keeping them alive during the summer months.”
Not sure where all the inspiration came from in the beginning, but Vernal, Utah, Craig and Rangely sure offer themselves as potential examples.
In an article on the Vernal Web site, “Business is Blooming on Main Street,” by Patrick Timothy Mullikin, quoting the city manager, Ken Bassett, Patrick relays the beginnings of how the flowers began taking center stage each year. “The program began as a way to add some color and life to a downtown area that was in critical condition because of a bust that we were going through in the early ‘80s,” he says. “We had stores closing, and it was starting to look kind of bleak.”
And so it began with a couple of whiskey barrels as a chamber of commerce project. As the years went by, it progressed beyond its initial three-block area and the city and business owners all became a part of the successful program.
Today, hundreds of pots and hanging baskets embellish the streets providing rave reviews from passing visitors and residents alike.
Rangely and Craig each have their own tale to tell.
Meeker’s tale is just beginning — again. Transitioning into the cement pots in various sizes to provide a semi-permanent container for annual use, the plan is to begin with 10 to 12 large containers positioned on Market and Main streets and add a middle-sized and smaller container to be grouped with larger pots the following years. Volunteers will plant the flowers -projected to be before July 4 guests arrive — and also remove flowers in the fall. And professional maintenance for watering, fertilizing and keeping the plants beautiful all summer will be included.
Sponsorship to financially help the chamber of commerce in this endeavor will come through businesses and residents who want to do their part to build a flower program in Meeker that will be bring a whole new meaning to our own “flower pot story.”

By ELLENE MEECE

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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  • It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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