America in Bloom judges are coming to Bluffton. That means next week the village is on display.

The judges will tour Bluffton on Thursday and Friday, July 20 and 21, and score the community in various categories.

Susie Stratton, assisting in Bluffton’s preparations for judging, suggests residents clean their yards, weed gardens and consider that the entire village is on display.

There are many benefits to the community should Bluffton receive a good judging report.

What is America in Bloom?
It envisions communities across the country as welcoming and vibrant places to live, work, and play - benefitting from colorful plants and trees; enjoying clean environments; celebrating heritage; and planting pride through volunteerism.

It promotes nationwide beautification through education and community involvement by encouraging use of flowers, plants, trees, and other environmental and lifestyle enhancements.

As a participant, Bluffton will show how it experiences cooperation among municipal, commercial and residential sectors as these groups work toward several common goals.

Via a national symposium and awards program, America in Bloom has information and cultural exchanges with neighboring, national and international communities.

What is Bluffton’s involvement?
Bluffton council voted to support the community’s entry by approving the $1,099 entry fee in February. The request for funding came from the village Tree Commission.

Two America in Bloom judges will score the community on several levels during their visit. The judges will collect an inventory of the community’s assets, interests, and abilities in each of the evaluated areas.

As a participating community, Bluffton will receive a bloom rating, score, and is eligible to receive special recognition for efforts in one of the evaluated areas.

Winners in each population category are invited to advance to international competition. There are various awards:

• Outstanding achievement awards for overall impression, environmental efforts, heritage preservation, urban forestry, landscaped areas, floral displays and community involvement,

• Community Champion Award, which honors an individual who shows community leadership and demonstrates vision and selfless commitment to moving the community forward.

• YouTube Video Award offers a cash prize for the video that best shows the impact of America in Bloom participation on a community.

• Special awards (different each year)

America in Bloom
America in Bloom provides a framework for continuous improvements in quality of life through its national awards program and educational offerings.

It is a friendly competition that serves the community as a unifier for the various non-profits, corporations, private citizens for a common goal. Its awards program can be used to generate enthusiasm and education for community-wide improvement projects.

It offers a comprehensive inexpensive survey of participanting villages and cities, is a community-building tool and program that, via the judges' evaluation, gives participants an annual list of issues to address.