Stephanie Reed of Beautify Rumford.

RUMFORD — Beautify Rumford took root this summer and is beginning to blossom.

It is a group whose ultimate goal is to enter the America in Bloom contest, perhaps in a couple of years.

“It’s a really great nonprofit organization that does a nationwide competition for beautification efforts throughout your town,” Stephanie Reed, the group’s leader, told members of EnvisionRumford recently.

“The goal this year is that we’re just getting started. We want to partner with EnvisionRumford because it’s all complementary. Everyone wants to do the same thing: Make Rumford nice. Make it prettier. Make it more hospitable for business. Get more tourists to come.”

So far, the group beautified the planters on Congress Street and near Key Bank. And Beautify Rumford is hoping to do one more planting before the end of the season.

Reed said Beautify Rumford is also planning to do some fundraising at Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 20, thanks to an anonymous donor paying for booth space for the group.

She said the group is also looking to plant a nice garden at the Veterans Park, building on EnvisionRumford’s success at building a bandstand.

Beautify Rumford is also working with Teaberry Arts.

EnvisionRumford voted to adopt Beautify Rumford as a committee.

“Many studies have been done that show that flowers, trees, plants and green spaces improve people’s health and mental health,” Reed said in an earlier speech to the Rumford Board of Selectmen.

“Our idea is not to take over and change anything that anyone else is already doing, but simply to enhance those efforts.”

She said Beautify Rumford is “a group of local citizens who are interested in trying to make the entire town of Rumford prettier and more conducive, all for a relatively low-cost investment with a very high return.”

Those interested in participating in Beautify Rumford should contact Reed at beautifyrumford@gmail.com.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net

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