By Laurie Davison
A Centretown children and youth group was recently recognized for its community involvement by being selected to represent Canada in an international tulip-planting project.
The Willow Street Angels, whose members range in age from 3 to 16, recently planted tulip bulbs in the NCC Gift Bed in Commissioner Park which, in the spring, will take the form of boys and girls holding hands.
This “Golden Ribbon of Children” depicts children and youth as the world’s future and is one of 11 identical gardens planted in major cities around the world, such as Paris, London, Moscow and Chicago.
Canada’s garden will be the largest.
The members of the group — which was formed three years ago and has had as many as 200 members — spend their spare time cleaning up their community, including everything from litter collection, to more challenging tasks such as fighting prostitution and drugs by writing community-impact statements for the courts.
This work got them selected to plant the first of 106,000 tulip bulbs donated to Canada from the International Flower Bulb Centre of Holland for the garden.
“These kids are very dedicated and committed to the community, to showing that the youth can make a difference,” said Angela Ierullo, the group’s leader.
Marc Lalonde, NCC land manager for urban areas, suggested using the Willow Street Angels to the project’s co-ordinators, citing the group’s good works.
“I said, ‘If you want kids, I know a fantastic group,’” he said.
Lalonde first met the Willow Street Angels last spring when they approached him for a donation of tulip bulbs to help beautify St. Anthony’s elementary school — which had recently won an Ottawa-wide “Ugly Schoolyard” contest in 1998. The Angels’ hard work on that project was what made Lalonde think of them for this new garden.
This most recent project was a chance for the Willow Street Angels to show their community that, through dedication and commitment, even small things can make a big difference.
“I think it’s a way for kids to learn they are the future,” said Viet Nguyen, 16, who leads the child members of the Willow Street Angels. Nguyen joined the group two years ago as a way to get to know his community.
“I think it would be great if every neighbourhood had something like this,” he said.
While the Willow Street Angels continue to grow in popularity, their funds, which come strictly from donations, are running out.
This year, Bell Canada and Nortel were the main sponsors, donating $4,000 to the group to use for community-oriented projects such as decorating the neighbourhood for Halloween.
But in January, the Angels will need a new sponsor.
Ierullo says she’s confident that even if they don’t get the money, the children will keep up the good work that won their involvement with the Golden Ribbon of Children project.