The Minnesota Avenue Flower Garden Project

In 1989, a group of area citizens led by landscaper/horticulturist, Darrel Leopold, began the Minnesota Avenue Flower Garden in Breckenridge, MN. After Darrel's death in 1993, Stephen Vertin, son of Joseph Vertin, Jr., assumed Darrel's role as the coordinator of what has become one of the city's most noted beautification projects.

Although planted and maintained with the help of many volunteers, Steve directs, coordinates the massive effort, and spends many hours preparing the soil and approximately 8000 flowers. Local businesses donate the flowers and sections of the garden are "adopted" by businesses or individuals who tend to the planting and weeding of their section during the summer growing season.

Since 2001, the staff of Joseph Vertin & Sons Funeral Home has participated in the community flower project with a plot of their own that they care for. The activities of spring planting and summer maintenance have been an enjoyable experience and a time to socialize with each other outside of the funeral home workplace. Several of the employees have brought their children and other family members to the plot to help out, which has increased the spirit of camaraderie among staff and fostered friendships among extended family.

As the success of the flower garden continued and the community's reaction to the project became increasingly favorable, Steve suggested that the efforts of Joseph Vertin & Sons staff could be used for an even greater good if we dedicated our plot to the memory of the individuals whose funerals were held during the previous year.

Using photos of the gardens and the staff, folders are created and printed for mailing. All of the names in the folders are hand-printed in calligraphy to add a personal touch and then sent to family members in memory of their loved one. Creating the folders has given staff members yet another opportunity to work together as a team in service to families. Everyone assumes a role in the process, from information-gathering to envelope-stuffing.

The response to the memory folders has been overwhelming! We've received many, many thank-you cards and letters and wonderful comments from family members who have received them. The most heart-warming remarks we receive are from family members who tell us how touching it has been for them to know that their loved ones are remembered. Seeing the flowers every time that they drive or walk by gives them a sense of comfort and peace.

Working together with other businesses and volunteers to improve the appearance of Minnesota Avenue has given Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home staff a sense of community involvement. Giving family members a sense that their loved one's memory lives on in the beauty of nature has been a very rewarding experience as well, and one that the funeral home, under Steve's direction, plans to continue for many years to come.