IN DIRE NEED - Rose Garden Needs Volunteers Before Festival
By Robin Vinci | Editor at June 9, 2024 | 7:00 pm | Print
If you go to the Rose Garden, atop Walnut Hill Park near the World War I Monument, you may notice something else strewn around the roses.
“The weeds are over-taking the rose garden and we have the Rose Garden Festival on June 18,” said Kate McCue Scierka, founder of the Rose Garden Project along with the Friends of Walnut Hill Rose Garden. “It’s not going to be ready. We probably need about another 30 volunteers to help.”
On Monday about six volunteers came out to work on the weeds, but not even a quarter of the project is completed.
“Even if they come for 30 minutes, it makes a big difference,” said Scierka. “We publish our schedule on Facebook under Walnut Hill Rose Garden. We have been out every other night and Saturday working on it.”
The weeding schedule is as follows:
Saturday. June 11 9 a.m. to noon
Monday, June 13 5-7 p.m.
Wednesday, June 15 5-7 p.m.
Friday, June 17 5-7 p.m.
The group has been working on it for three weeks. Volunteers are urged to just show up at a scheduled time.
Some volunteers heard about the need to help by just walking around the park and other volunteers were exercising at the park.
“People aren’t responding to our call for help.” said Scierka. “A lot of people have been long time volunteers, but we are in our sixth year and it is natural turnover. People have a lot going on in their life.”
Volunteers Kelly Selander and Matthew Oteri stopped by Monday because they enjoy the roses.
“We come to the park all the time and came to see how the roses were doing,” said Selander. “We saw a flyer and checked out the website. We don’t have a garden and wanted to do a garden so we came up to help.”
“I used to help my mom out gardening when I was a kid. I like gardening,” said Oteri. “One of these days I hope to own my own house in New Britain and have a garden there.”
The rose garden is the largest volunteer maintained Rose Garden in the state.
On June 18 a special community-wide event that will feature a night of live music as well as the opportunity to enjoy food from a variety of local restaurants will take place at the park.
Beverages of all kinds will be available for purchase including beer, wine, and spirits. Admission to the event will be $7 per person in advance and $10 the day of the event. This event is for persons 21 years of age and older. Food and beverages will be sold separately.
Restaurants committed to the event to date are: Great Taste, Whinstone Tavern, Max Pizza II, Staropolska, Riley’s Gourmet Burger, and Criollisimo from New Britain as well as David Alan Catering from Berlin, who in addition will also be taking care of the bar responsibilities for the evening.
The event will start with a Happy Hour from 5-6 p.m.
Following the Happy Hour will be the first of two bands to take the stage that evening. Shaded Soul will get the party and dancing started and the nightcap will feature Dr.K’s Motown Revue, rocking the stage for the remainder of the night. These are two of Connecticut’s most popular event bands that will be sure to keep the party going strong all night long.
Tickets will be available for purchase at the Parks and Recreation Department and Greater New Britain Chamber of Commerce.
