Local nonprofit Canby Area Beautification is again doing its part to make the community live up to its slogan of “The Garden Spot” with another rosebush planting along Highway 99E later this month.
CAB is seeking volunteers to help plant 200 rosebushes across 99E from the Northwest Furniture Store starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 22. In recent years, the group has come together to plant dozens of roses along the north side of 99E starting across from Millar’s Point S Tire and Auto and heading east.
“Canby’s tagline is ‘The Garden Spot’ and projects such as this work toward that goal,” explained CAB President Cathy Rae Smith. “Through the strength of community involvement, donations and volunteers alike, we can achieve.”
City leaders have praised the group’s efforts to beautify and improve the previously rough, utilitarian aesthetics of the Highway 99E corridor, which brings hundreds of thousands of motorists through Canby each day and splits the community neatly in half.
“This ongoing beautification project has been amazing for improving the look along Highway 99E,” said Canby Mayor Brian Hodson. “I look forward to the planting event on January 22.”
Crews from the Canby Fire District and the West Linn-based Rivers of Life Center plan to join in next week’s planting.
“We’ve been eagerly watching a very complex beautification effort to serve as ‘Canby’s Gateway’ between 99E and Union Pacific Railroad tracks emerge,” Rivers of Life President Jerry Herrmann said.
“This will be one of the most beautiful areas in Canby, so our organization, Rivers of Life Center, and our youth came alongside Canby Area Beautification to help out. We’re here for the long term.”
“I love working with young people, including those who have significant problems and challenges,” Rivers of Life At-Risk Crew Leader Timothy Miller added. “I’ve had challenges too, but in working with these young people on Cathy Rae Smith’s beautification project, I’ve been helped and so have the youth I oversee as their crew leader.”
The plantings are made possible by donations of funds and materials from DirectLink, Canby Rental & Equipment, the City of Canby, Fred Meyer, NW Furniture Outle and, Garden World, as well as community members such as Ben Millar, Canby Fire, Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints missionaries, and Rivers of Life Center.
Volunteers joining CAB efforts this year have previously worked hard to reclaim the areas along Highway 99E that were becoming overgrown after a year of pandemic-related shutdowns.
The January 22 planting will kick off at 10 a.m. regardless of weather, rain or shine. Volunteers should bring a shovel and work gloves. Hot chili and cider will be provided.
To donate and/or volunteer, contact Smith at cathyraesmith@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page. Rivers of Life Center can be reached at riversoflifecenter@gmail.com.
