Submitted Photo Pictured is a hanging basket on Central Avenue, Dunkirk.

Hanging flower baskets returned to brighten Dunkirk’s downtown for the seventh consecutive year, just in time for Memorial Day.

Community enthusiasm and financial support for this civic beautification effort of Revitalize Dunkirk Inc., have increased steadily since the project’s inception. Begun in 2015 with a grant from the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, the flowers are now funded entirely through donations from individuals, families, businesses, clubs, churches and other organizations.

Most donors are local, but some are out-of-state residents with family or other ties to the local area. Donors this year include: Add Lumber True Value; Diane Andrasik; Ruth Antosh; Marty Bamonto; Rosalind Vacanti Barris, in memory of JoAnn L. Vacanti; Becc Electric; Linda Bradigan; Bud ‘n Bloom Garden Club; Casale Plumbing, Heating & AC; Central Station Restaurant; Chadwick Bay Vision Care; David & Kathryn Civilette; Community Bank NA; Gloria Crowe; Logan Dorman; Sara Dorogi; Sue & Walt Drag; Dunkirk Exempt Firemen’s Association; Dunkirk Flavors, Inc.; Dunkirk Professional Firefighters, Local 616; Mick Dunning & Karen Wojcinski; Ellman’s Garage, Inc.; Jim & Diane Enser; Don & Sharen Fadale; A. W. Farrell & Son; Marsha Finley; First United Presbyterian Church of Dunkirk; Flowers by Anthony; Jennifer Foley, DDS; Foley, Foley & Passafaro; Mark C. Forbes; Risha Formanowicz; Friendship Missionary Baptist Church; Gary Frederickson; G&E Tents, Tables & Chairs LLC; Nicholas Galofaro & Lenore Jakiela; G.H. Graf Realty Corp.; Ken & Bobbie Hollander; Holy Trinity Church; Rodney & Joan Houck; Nancy Hutchinson; Dave & Janet Jagoda; Patricia A. Kalfas; Saranne Karalus; Diane Kaszuba; Susan Kluck; Lake Erie Medical Services; Tom & Ann Marie Loughlin; the Marsowicz family; Matt’s News; McGraw-Kowal Funeral Home; Midtown Realty; Labyrinthine Ways Peace Park; Sharon Neratko; NYS Women, Inc., Chadwick Bay Chapter; North Chautauqua Dental; Dyan & David Noves; Roger & Mary Lou Orcutt; Dru & Jim Pasierb; Mary & Bruce Patterson; Valerie Pawlak; Larry & Sharon Perdue; Chris and Tonia Piede, Piede Tents, LLC; Putnam Record Agency; Robo; the Dunkirk Senior Center; Rita M. Stonefoot; The Studio; James & Irene Strychalski; Trish Timko; Dick & Ginny Titus; Ted & Cindy Wronski; Universal Audiology, Joseph Gullo II; Joan Lemmler Will; WNY Urology Associates; Mark A. Woods; and many other donors who wish to remain anonymous.

Revitalize Dunkirk officials thanked the city of Dunkirk Parks Department personnel who provide labor for the hanging basket project would not be possible as well as the employees at Yerico Farms LLC Greenhouse, shoppers at Revitalize Dunkirk’s recent fundraising plant sale and the members of the Revitalize Dunkirk Beautification Committee for their continuing efforts.

Donations can be sent to Revitalize Dunkirk Inc., Attn: Beautification Projects, P.O. Box 107, Dunkirk, NY 14048.

Revitalize Dunkirk is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit community improvement organization. For more information, find the Revitalize Dunkirk Facebook page or visit www.revitalizedunkirk.com.