We started our flower program in 1995 with 164 beautiful baskets hung on the light poles in downtown Austin. Now we are looking forward to hanging 246 in the summer of 2017! What a wonderful beautification project for our city!

The flower baskets add so much to the festive atmosphere in downtown Austin. It is such fun to hear the delightful comments about the flowers made by people who live here and visitors alike!

Once again our great community is working together to get a project done. The City of Austin donates $16,000; the Hormel Company gives $10,000 and the other $15,000 comes from over 110 businesses and individuals. We are grateful for these generous donations.

The cost of each basket — the planting and maintenance — is approximately $150.You can “adopt” a part of a basket, a full basket or several baskets! Your gifts also help pay for the flowers in the various pots and beds around Austin.

Please send your tax-deductible check made out to the City of Austin with “Flowers 2017” written in the memo to Tom Dankert at City Hall, 500 Fourth Ave. NE.

What a great Christmas gift in honor of someone your donation would make!

Thank you so much for helping to make Austin an even prettier city with your donation to “Flowers 2017.”

Sincerely,

Steve’s Pizza owner Steve Davis, Mayor Tom Stiehm and former Mayor Bonnie Besse Rietz