T-R file photo 96 flower baskets hang along Main Street in Marshalltown. These baskets bring pride to the community

As winter’s fury looms over Central Iowa, once again, I remind myself that this is February and what else am I to expect? This winter won’t last forever, and Punxsutawney Phil is just a captive groundhog — what does he really know? Phil only works one day a year, and the remainder of his days are in a warm terrarium kept within a library. “Groundhogenes” is exclusively understood by Phil and the president of the Groundhog Club, so perhaps the club president misunderstood? Anyone ever wonder if Phil gets cabin fever? I know I certainly do over the winter months. Nonetheless whether we believe the legend or not, the warm months of spring, and summer will eventually be here. In the meantime, I will look forward to one of my favorite warm weather plans for the downtown.

The Marshalltown Central Business District is enthusiastic to once again organize the flower basket campaign. Through community fundraising efforts each year, wave petunia baskets are purchased from Marshalltown’s local greenhouse, Isle of Green. Each gorgeous basket has 13 plants, comprising of five different kinds of wave petunias to fill and spill over the sides of the coconut weave lined baskets. Each light pole along Main Street from Third Street to Third Avenue is decorated with two baskets bursting with flowers, for a total of 96 baskets to adorn our historic Main Street. These stunning wave petunia baskets are a warm inviting welcome to our historic downtown for both the community and visitors to enjoy from early June to mid-October.

The MCBD Design Committee has been busy reaching out to past volunteers and seeking new volunteers to help with this annual downtown effort. In order to keep the flowers vibrant, full and healthy, dedicated volunteers utilize the MCBD’s gator and tank to water and feed the flower baskets each morning. It takes approximately 320 collective volunteer hours each summer to organize and maintain these eye popping floral baskets. In past years, many individuals and local businesses have exhibited their community investment and pride by forming a team of volunteers to water the baskets for a few days or a week at a time. It takes one to two volunteers each morning to perform this crucial watering task. This will be my first year to experience the flower phenomenon, but I’m told it’s peacefully rewarding to water the flower baskets first thing in the morning. I also hear it’s kind of invigorating to drive the gator down Main Street too.

We have other warm weather plans from our Design Committee for the downtown as well. One can look forward to new banners in the downtown, a repeat of our “Team Up to Clean Up” efforts, along with aid to some of our downtown building owners with grant opportunities to improve their front facades. With warm weather we also get construction, which I know at times causes us to vie from our normal routines; we need to remember it’s progress to reach our goals as a community. Design is one of the four committees that our Marshalltown Central Business District, a 501c3 non-profit, is comprised of. Organization, Economic Vitality and Promotions also have their own 2021 plans.

What does all of this have to do with Punxsutawney Phil? Nothing really, other than I have a strong hope that the cute chubby cheeked rodent is wrong, and spring will be here before we know it. I’m looking forward to the sunshine, new banners, birds chirping and colorful vivacious flowers welcoming me when I step out of my office in the downtown.

We have openings on our committees, if you like having fun and have an interest in giving back to the community through volunteering, please reach out to the MCBD office via email director@marshalltownmainstreet.org or call the office at 641-844-2001.

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Deb Millizer serves as the executive director for

Marshalltown’s Central Business District.