The Awards of Beautification and Conservation (ABC) Program is designed to stimulate and assist garden clubs in taking the lead in community improvement, environmental improvement and beautification.

Objectives

The objectives of the ABC program are:

1. To encourage, promote and conduct significant pro-grams in environmental affairs.
2. To promote the conservation and maintenance of communities, waterways and natural environment.
3. To work toward the rehabilitation of neighborhoods.
4. To promote community beautification and conservation.

The ABC Program should have as its goal the creation of community-wide interest and participation in a plan of action aimed at specific objectives. Garden clubs are encouraged to seek such additional local resources as are required for the accomplishment of their objectives. Ideally, such resources would include:

1. Additional monetary support.
2. Contribution of material and labor.
3. Cooperation of governmental agencies.
4. Assumption by civic organizations or responsibility for certain phases of the overall program.
5. Support of the news media, schools, youth organizations and the general public.

The ABC Program in Virginia Beach is sponsored by the Council of Garden Clubs of Virginia Beach, Inc. through a grant ("seed money") from Mr. Richard S. Foster, Baymark Construction Corporation and The Virginia Beach Beautification Commission.

Each year the Council sponsors a Beautification Project.
It is hoped member clubs will want to share by making a financial donation.

How To Participate In The Beautification Program

Participation in the Beautification Program is open to all member garden clubs. Monetary awards are offered by the Council in the following categories:

1. Beautification.
2. Litter Control.
3. Garden Therapy.
4. Historic Preservation

It is expected any winnings will be used by the club in future projects.

The Beautification Program runs from May 1st through April 30th of the following year. Only projects accomplished during the cur-rent year may be used as evidence. It is very important to be aware of the judging criteria. Thoroughly read the guidelines on the following pages and carefully follow instructions for the Book of Evidence (BOE). Observe all deadlines and the following requirements:

1. Submit Application of Project Intent to the Beautification Chairman by the March Council Meeting or earlier if plans are finalized.
2. Submit a BOE by May 10th in a color specified three ring binder. The binder colors for the Beautification categories are:
1. Beautification................................Green
2. Continuing.....................................Dark Blue
3. Maintenance.................................Yellow
4. Garden Therapy............................Light Blue
5. Historic Preservation....................Red
6. Litter Control & Conservation......Purple
3. Before and after pictures are required.

Winners are announced at the Council's Annual Awards Luncheon.

Application Of Project Intent

Member clubs are urged to conduct their own Beautification Projects thereby furthering the development and beautification of our community. This can be accomplished by fulfilling the necessary requirements during the course of their project in any and all areas of Beautification. Once a club has voted to participate in the Beautification Awards Program and has decided on a project, an Application of Project Intent Form must be submitted to the Council Beautification Chairman by the March Council Meeting. A late submission must be approved by the Council ABC Chairman. An application for each project is required.

The Application of Project Intent must include:

1. Club Name
2. ABC Chairman
3. Telephone
4. Type Of Project
5. Location (Provide exact directions or a map to the project's location)
6. Brief Outline Of Plans For The Project

Areas Of Beautification Projects

The ABC Program covers four large areas of garden club work:

1. Beautification
2. Garden Therapy
3. Historic Preservation
4. Litter Control/Conservation

The Beautification Area is subdivided into three subcategories:

1. New Projects
2. Continuing Projects
3. Maintenance Projects

Member clubs are invited to participate in any or all phases of competition during the club year.

Definitions

New Beautification Project:  A New Project is one which a club has never before undertaken, or one which was completed years ago and will now be completely reworked with a new design and new plant material. (If the plan is to re-work a project, permission must be obtained from the Beautification Chairman.)

Continuing Beautification Project:  A Continuing Project is one which a club has divided into several phases to be completed over a period of several years. For the first phase of a Continuing Project the "Type of Project" should be indicated on the Application of Project Intent form as "New Project."

Maintenance Beautification Project:  A Maintenance Project is one which a club previously completed as a New Beautification Project and currently provides the upkeep of that project through repair, replacement of plant materials and general clean-up.

Garden Therapy:  Garden Therapy is a project in which club members work directly with a group of people in an on-going program or project related to gardening and horticulture during the entire club year. This must be more than a one time effort. For example: at Senior Centers, Day Care facilities or Head Start programs, etc.

Historic Preservation:  An Historic Preservation project is one involving an historic home, location or area of significant value and historic interest to the community.

Litter Control & Conservation:  A Litter Control & Conservation project is a project especially planned as an on-going campaign or program connected with litter control and/or conservation, their control or elimination during the entire club year. This project must be more than a one time effort.

Tips On Organizing An ABC Program

1. Create community-wide interest.
2. Involve as many club members as possible.
3. If working with Landscape Services contact that office as early in the project planning phase as possible.
4. If working at a school, contact the principal's office as early in the project planning phase as possible.
5. A club's project may be undertaken in any area of the city.
6. Every contact with the project should be documented for the BOE.

Tips On Book Of Evidence (BOE) Preparation

Careful planning and preparation are musts for a winning project. Preparing and maintaining a record is essential. The BOE is very important because it provides a record of a club's plans and accomplishments and for the Beautification competition it is the documentation of the club's program. 

A concise, neat, typed BOE is required. No additional credit will be given for artistic embellishment.

Remember, a poor presentation of a good project can lose an award.

The BOE Should Contain The Following:

1. The first page MUST BE a Fact Sheet. (A sample Fact Sheet is shown below.)
2. The second page MUST BE a Brief Resume (just one or two paragraphs).
3. Documentation of the project:  This includes before and after pictures, reports, newspaper articles with dates, letters, plans, drawings, bills and any other pertinent information that will tell the story of the project. Material presented must be on work done during the reporting year. Accomplishments during previous years can be presented only as background information for the current project. 
4. Material should be presented in chronological order wherever possible.
5. Documentation of the project must be contained in previously stated color-coded theme binders.  All written material must be typed and placed in a three ring binder, not in the pockets.

ABC Awards

JUDGING CRITERIA

It is very important to be aware of the Judging Criteria for each category of Beautification Project so carefully read and observe the following criteria during the course of each project.

New or Continuing Project

Maintenance Project

Garden Therapy, Historic Preservation or
Litter Control/Conservation Project

Sample ABC Fact Sheet

Council Projects Completed in Past Years

Since the 1970s the Council's ABC Programs have played an active role in the beautification of Virginia Beach as shown by the many projects completed by the Council and its member clubs.

A list of Council projects includes:

1. Memorial Woods.

2. Crape Myrtle Trail.

3. Landscaping of the General Hospital of Virginia Beach.

4. Landscaping at the United Way Family Center.

5. Handicapped Garden of Bayville Park.

6. Herb Garden at the Francis Land House.

7. Dunes Deliverance.

8. Red Wing Park.

1. Olive Culpepper Memorial Rose Garden.

2. President's Garden.

3. Japanese Garden.

4. P.O.W. Garden.

5. Conservation Garden & Fragrance Garden.

9. Contribution to Colonial Garden at the Municipal Center.

10. Norwegian Lady Plaza at 25th Street.

11. Plantings along the rear of the Dome Parking Lot.

12. Pampas grass planting along Atlantic Avenue.

13. Trees along Laskin Road from London Bridge to Hill-top.

14. Crape Myrtle trees planted on the 26th Street between Atlantic and Baltic.

15. Bradford Pear trees on Northampton Blvd. at Independence Blvd.

16. Landscaping the Admiral de Grasse Statue at Fort Story.

17. Landscaping of the Median Strip of I-264 (formerly the toll road) in the area of the Pavilion.

18. Landscaping at the Beach Garden Park.

19. Landscaping of the Marsh Walk at the Virginia Museum of Marine Sciences.

20. Contribution to Flag Plaza at City Hall.

21. Parking Lot Planting at Human Resources Center

22. Planting to screen north side of Francis Land House.

23. Seventeen (17) Yoshino Cherry Trees at Visitor Information Center.

24. Thirteen (13) Yoshino Cherry Trees at the Judicial Center.

25. Refurbishing Rose Garden and Fragrance Garden at Red Wing Park.

26. Planting at the Thoroughgood House.

27. Wildflower planting at Ferrell Parkway.

28. "Celebrate Children Garden" at the Municipal Center Court Complex.

29. Mary's Garden, Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.