August 27, 2023

By Linda Nunes

Civic Pride Volunteer Committee will resume their monthly meetings, September 20, 2023, after taking a summer break. We meet at 1:30 pm in the Council Chambers until the elevator is repaired.

And what is Civic Pride Volunteer Committee? What have they done in our Fillmore community? What do they do?
Civic Pride Volunteer Committee began in the late 1990’s, when the city cast a vision for 2020 with the formation of 9 committees that would promote: Quality Education, Civic Pride in the
Community, Volunteerism, Connecting Community Through Communication, Strengthening Public Safety, Maximizing Recreation & Social Opportunities, Preserving Agriculture in the Santa Clara River Valley, Balanced Economic Growth, and Managing Growth in the Community.

Would you be surprised to know that the only surviving committee that has continued to serve & function, would be Civic Pride Volunteer Committee?

Our group has worked over the years to beautify the downtown, Central business area, by refurbishing all the large cement pots & stucco planters, with watering systems, new soil & plants, beginning in 2012, involving many different community groups & placing a plaque with their names on each pot. We continued to fertilize, weed & prune these until the city landscape crew took over.

We refurbished the weed-filled planters in the east & west side of Central parking lots with succulents, weed barrier & watering timers on the west side.

We have encouraged homeowners to keep their yards, attractive & well maintained by awarding a “Yard of the Month” gift card provided by Otto & Sons Nursery, who have supported this project since its’ inception.
We have joined with other groups in discouraging litter & graffiti-picking up trash. We participate in the Annual Coastal Cleanup event coming each September. We planted California Poppies & Lupines along the bike paths & paid to hydro mulch these seeds at city entry points.

In the past, we put on Artwalks downtown to high light local artists & businesses with musicians playing.
And we brought back a wonderful Fillmore Flower Show that began in 1919, ended in the late 1990’s and started again in 2009. Except for Covid closure, this show has continued to involve all ages, live music, and an opportunity for youth to showcase their artwork, & poetry/essays. This event is returning April 14, 15, 2024 & remains free for the publics’ enjoyment on Saturday, Sunday from 1-4pm.

It takes many volunteers to grow & propagate plants for the boutique, handle all the publicity, gather donations for the drawings, put out signage, set up the show on Friday, & be ready at 7am with tables, Saturday morning to receive all the entries, provide treats for the Café refreshments , and then take it all down until next year.
Come to our meeting at City Hall, September 20, at 1:30pm and express your civic pride with involvement!