Gardeners' Guild of Braintree

Adopt-an-Island

GG of Braintree Adopt an Island Program

The Adopt-an-Island program, is managed by the Gardeners' Guild of Braintree for the Braintree Parks Department. Kerri MacKenzie Eck of the Gardeners' Guild of Braintree works closely with Bill Hedlund of the Braintree Park Department to facilitate the smooth operation of this program. The program's main objective is to beautify Braintree and at the same time give local businesses the chance to encourage patronage by successfully maintaing islands that display a sign with their business' name on it.

This community beautification effort seeks to identify focal points on municipal owned properties that could be maintained by the private sector, local businesses, individuals, and civic, fraternal, service, or veteran groups. Each designated site features either a garden area or raised planter and has a distinct "A Bit of Braintree Beautified by..." sign bearing the name of the individual, business or group adopting the site.

The adoption term is one year, with continued renewal as long as the site is maintained. All signs feature an oak tree logo depicting the "Heritage Tree of Braintree" located at Gilbert Bean Circle.
Businesses and organizations that adopt islands will be required to successfully maintain their assigned islands. Businesses and organizations that adopt islands will purchase a regulation size sign from the designated sign maker. The sign will only have the business or organization’s name; there will be no addresses or phone numbers written on the signs. Signs will be erected by the Braintree Park Department.

This program has very high standards. Businesses and organizations wishing to adopt an island will be required to fill out an application. Applicants may request a specific island or can receive one by random selection; however, it can not be guaranteed that the applicant will be assigned the island that they requested. Applicants may choose from most islands in Braintree; a prepared list is also available. Islands that are solid concrete may still be chosen (the Braintree Highway Department may be able to remove slabs of concrete). Each island will be reviewed after one year and the business or organization maintaining the island will have the opportunity to adopt their islands for another year if the island is found to have been maintained well over the previous year. This process will occur each year.

It is our hope that this program will benefit both the businesses and organizations of Braintree itself. Prospective applicants are requested to contact the Braintree Park Department for an application for the Adopt an Island Program.

Islands and grassy parcels should be kept weed free and mowed if necessary. All trash should be removed. The town does not mow an "adopted" island. If shrubs and plants are used they must be kept neatly pruned. No excavation may occur without prior approval by the Town. All signs on the island locations are meant to be placed at ground level – not elevated up to expose the mounting stick.

In a few cases, planters are still being used on traffic islands. Unfortunately because of the high replacement cost, the Park Department will no longer pay for the cost of replacing these planters if vandalized. Given this fact, once a planter is broken, the client should find a new location that does not require a planter or get approval from the Park Department to have their location carved out for a planting bed. Planters should have an attractive display throughout the May through October season. If a shrub is planted within the planter, suggest flowering annuals around the base. If perennials or other flowering plants are used, it is important to remove and replace them once they have gone by. These planters are small enough that the client should have color all season. Silk flowers of any kind are forbidden. Signs in the planter are smaller than the signs used on islands.

All signs are ordered from NES Traffic Safety, LP at 55 Bodwell Street Avon, MA 02322 at a cost of $15. Michael Mucciaccio is the contact at 508-580-6700. If a sign is vandalized or stolen, the Park Department will replace it for the client. NES will bill the Park Department directly. Only the name of the company will appear on the sign. No advertising, addresses or phone numbers will be allowed.

As a volunteer to oversee the islands, your responsibility is to periodically go by your assigned locations to make sure that the client is following the “Standards” as described above. If for some reason a client is not beautifying as per the guidelines, you will be responsible for communicating with them to remind them of their commitment to beautify as per the Adoption Agreement. A phone call is an acceptable method of informing the client of the problem. Confirm with them their intention to retain their location and then give them an acceptable time frame to improve their location. As stated in the Adoption Agreement, the contract can be cancelled if periodic maintenance or improvements have not been made.

Adopt-an-Island Participants

The Gardeners' Guild of Braintree proudly recognizes and would like to thank the following participants in the town's Adopt-an-Island program:
Agnitti Insurance, Agnitti Property Management, Braintree Cooperative Bank, Braintree Fire Fighters Local 920, Braintree Police, Braintree Professional Management Assoc., Braintree Women's Club, Christopher Vaughn, Commonwealth Vending, East Braintree Civic Assoc., Fasano's Catering, Gardeners'Guild, In Memory of Gloria English Sullivan, Kathy-on-the-Keys, Mark-a-Lot, Reservoir Avenue Residents, Robert Stone Realty, St Francis of Assisi Church, St Thomas More Church, The Snarsky Family, In Memory of Patricia Spinosa, Williams Coal and Oil Co., Wonder Years. Many of these participants have been members since the inception of the Adopt An Island program and are to be applauded for their devotion to this endeavor.

Garden Maintenance

The Guild would also like to thank Gordon Campbell for his indefatigable attention to the design and maintenance of the herb gardens at Sylvanus Thayer House.

The Gardeners' Guild Membership maintains gardens at Furlong Park, Smith's Beach, the Marge Crispin Center, and the Thayer House gardens. It also maintains plantings at Braintree Town Hall, Plain Street Cemetery, and Braintree Police Station and indoor plants at the Thayer Public Library.

For further information on the Adopt-an-Island Program, including site availability, please contact Chairperson Kerri M Eck at kerri.eck@comcast.net. Pleae reference your questions and requests with Adopt An Island Program.