The Great Bend Beautification Committee recently completed their latest project at the Great Bend Public Library. The upper lawn level on the east side of the library has been beautifully landscaped to include three new bronze statues.
The project got started a few months ago with a grant from the Great Bend Foundation for the purchase of the first bronze statue of a young girl, affectionately nicknamed “Emily,” sitting on a tree stump reading a book. The second bronze is entitled “Taking Wind” and features a young girl with a bird perched on her fingertips. This statue was donated by Great Bend residents Jerry and Theda Wendel. To finish out the trio, Robert and Linda Dougherty donated the third bronze, called “Hiker Boy.”
The new statues are strategically placed throughout a large rock and plant garden designed and implemented by Northview Nursery of Great Bend. “We enjoyed working on this project,” says owner Chad Lagerman. “We’re waiting on a shipment of lighting equipment that will also make the landscape visible after dark, which should be quite impressive.”
While the statues were donated, the Beautification Committee is still accepting donations to help cover the costs of the landscaping. “We are so pleased that the Beautification Committee would choose to help us beautify our facility,” says Great Bend Public Library director Harry Willems. “People in the community have already expressed how much they are enjoying the improvements, and it is definitely important to preserve the library for future generations.”
The Beautification Committee operates under the auspices of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. For more information, contact Beautification Committee member Linda Dougherty, 620-793-3359.