Downtown Olean Beautification Committee Elects New Chairman
More Volunteers Needed to Help Maintain Gardens

April 4, 2024—Olean—William J. Aiello, Mayor of the City of Olean, is pleased to announce that the Downtown Olean Beautification Committee has elected Danielle Eaton as Chair replacing Pat Driscoll. John Balacki was elected Vice Chair. The Downtown Beautification Committee is composed of a group of dedicated volunteers whose mission is to enhance the beauty of our downtown public gardens. Other members of the Committee include: Susan Bly, Joey Enright, Laurie McCarthy, Kathy Marzec and Kevin Vogel.

The Committee meets monthly with the Mayor and other City officials to plan for the future and to suggest long term garden solutions. The committee also recruits numerous volunteers to tend to the gardens along the street. Some of the volunteer gardeners include: Bill and Laurie Marsfelder, Bob Lehman, Brad and Matt Mitchell, Cattaraugus County Social Service Group, Lauren Caya and Family, the Eaton Family, Elaine Kwaitkowski, Earl and Michiko McElfresh, Fran Haynes, Galvin Anderson, Jaeson Shaner, Jessica Powers, John Balacki, Kathy Hendrix, Kathy Marzec, Kevin Vogel, Linda Witte, Lorie Vitello, Lucia Scotti, Lynn Brook, McCarthy’s Emporium, Pat and Kathy Driscoll, Rebecca Price, a group employees from Siemens Energy Group, Sandy Kellogg, Susan Bly, Ted Georgian, the Zonta Cub, and Tom and Joey Enright. An additional volunteer group helps to prepare the planters and the baskets.

“The Downtown Beautification Committee has found numerous way to make our downtown bloom from late winter until late autumn,” Mayor Aiello said. “The Committee’s innovations include the planters in the roundabouts and in the median on the north end of the street; the hanging baskets and the rose bushes in the median on the south end of the street; as well the spring bulbs and many of the additional colorful plants that keep the gardens vibrant throughout the season.”

“I get so many compliments on the gardens throughout the year; however, we are in need of more volunteers to maintain the gardens and keep them in tip-top shape. Many of the gardens have been adopted by residents, groups and businesses and they are working hard to keep them clear of weeds, but we have 19 gardens that still need to be adopted,” Mayor Aiello added.

The City of Olean hopes that more individuals or entities will volunteer to help maintain the public gardens throughout the coming season. In return the City will place a sign in each garden recognizing the volunteer or group. The City will help volunteers learn to identify weeds and will provide gloves to protect hands and bags in which to discard weeds.

Mayor Aiello said, “Please contact my office for more information about the volunteer program. And, if you know any of the committee members or volunteers, please thank them for their dedication to our community, Olean looks so beautiful because of their commitment and hard work.”