After a hiatus of many years, The Dalles Beautification Committee has revived the “Beautification Award” to honor The Dalles’ homeowners who have worked to improve the beauty of their homes and gardens. Pictured are, left to right, Connie Krummrich of the Beautification Committee; The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays; Beautification Committee member Brenda Coats; Columbia Gorge Real Estate broker Jorge Barragan; and award recipients Stephen and Vande Wegner. The home is at 311 W. 12th St., The Dalles. The monthly award will be awarded through October, with a Christmas award in December, and will return in April of 2021. The wooden sign was made by local artist Jeff Stewart.
After a hiatus of many years, The Dalles Beautification Committee has revived the “Beautification Award” to honor The Dalles’ homeowners who have worked to improve the beauty of their homes and gardens. Pictured are, left to right, Connie Krummrich of the Beautification Committee; The Dalles Mayor Rich Mays; Beautification Committee member Brenda Coats; Columbia Gorge Real Estate broker Jorge Barragan; and award recipients Stephen and Vande Wegner. The home is at 311 W. 12th St., The Dalles. The monthly award will be awarded through October, with a Christmas award in December, and will return in April of 2021. The wooden sign was made by local artist Jeff Stewart.
The Dalles Beautification Committee has awarded the August “Beautification Award” to The Dalles’ homowners Stephen and Vande Wegner, who reworked the outdoor areas of their home at 311 West 12th St. this spring.
“We thought it would be a neat way to thank people for their efforts, and inspire people to add to the beauty of our town,” said beautification committee member Connie Krummrich. “It’s about pride.”
Krummrich won the award years ago, she said, but the award was discontinued when the sign disappeared. A new, wooden sign has been created by local artist Jeff Stewart and will be displayed in the front yard of the winning home.
The revived award will be given monthly through October. A December award will honor a home for its Christmas decorations, and another round of awards will be given April through October, and December, in 2021.
Committee Member Brenda Coats said currently, the committee itself will be choosing which home in the city to honor each month. Winners will be announced in Columbia Gorge News and on the city’s utility bill.
The award is sponsored by Columbia Gorge Real Estate. “We want to support the award, help reinstate it and recognize improvements to yards and homes,” said broker Jorge Barragan. “It’s for homes that show pride of ownership.”
The Wegner home certainly shows a lot of pride. There are green lawns and a small fire pit, lots of seating, a place in the morning son for doing yoga and even a clothes line. “I’ve always wanted one,” said Vande. The gardens are all planted for birds, hummingbirds and bees, she added, “and boy do they come.” Apple trees, outdoor lights and well thought out paths circle the home. A small deck features a rocking chair, with a view to the Columbia River.
Vande said they have had a lot of people remark on their improvements. “Since the coronavirus, there have been a lot more people walking in the neighborhood. They thought this kind of thing would be expensive, but its not,” she said.
The Wegners are pleased with the award, and look forward to living in the beautiful new outdoor spaces they so carefully created this spring. But they aren’t finished with the work, yet — a small shed, mimicking their home, is planned to house their garbage and recycling bins where they are picked up on 12th Street.
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