Falls might be right for America in Bloom

To the editor,
On the Fourth of July my husband and I visited your community. I write to commend the citizens and their leadership on the beautiful and welcoming image International Falls projects.
It is neat, clean and invites visitors with the wide boulevards and lovely hanging baskets. Homes are enhanced with front yard gardens that communicate a pride not only in their homes but also in the city itself — a desire to make International Falls a great place to live.
As Master Gardeners from near Bemidji who have worked with Bemidji's efforts in the international America in Bloom competition, we hope you will consider looking into this effort of self-competition. One of its emphases involves improving the appearance of the community; we can see that you have already done so much to make your community stand out in that area. This competition is a great vehicle for growth, for community involvement, and also for the publicity it can generate.
The holiday festivities seemed to fit the community, to be something that folks looked forward to participating in. Police were polite and friendly in their traffic management. It was easy to follow the detour to avoid the parade.
The community looks progressive and I hope you are all proud of living there. We also hope you enjoy and learn from the gardening columns we send to your paper.
Enjoy the summer in your lovely community.
Wally and Cathy Peck
Beltrami County
Master Gardeners
Bemidji, MN