The West Salem Business Association is looking for help to roll out the barrel — of flowers, that is.

This summer the association will again be sponsoring the whiskey barrel flowerpots for the downtown area, and it is looking for businesses or individuals to help take care of the flowers.

“It is an inexpensive way to spruce up the downtown and add a little more beauty to the downtown area,” said WSBA member Dan Eoriatti, who is heading the flowerpot efforts.

The WSBA had been in charge of the whiskey barrel flowerpots the past few years, although it has been a tradition longer than that, Eoriatti said.

The WSBA flowerpot committee takes care of planting the flowers and removing the pots in the fall. Eoriatti said the committee is looking for volunteers to have the flowerpots placed in front of their business and care for them during the summer — in particular, making sure the flowers are watered. Typically, there are 18 businesses that take part.

The “flowerpots” are about half of a whiskey barrel and two feet in diameter. The barrels are usually planted by John Ruesch at Cottage Grove Nursery and Gift Shop and by Claire Bissen and Bob Mock from Family Tree Floral & Greenhouse.

The flowerpots will be placed in mid-May, and Eoriatti is hoping to have all volunteers to care for the flowers by May 11.

“Let’s take pride in the downtown area and keep this community tradition going,” Eoriatti said.

source : www.couleenews.com