FRNCA's "Yard of the Month" competition is based off a similar contest hosted by Bay View Pines Civic Association. The yard pictured above was Bay View Pines' winner for June. Photo: Peter Blasl
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Calling all proud homeowners and tenants in Flanders, Riverside and Northampton: Your yard could earn you a prize in your local civic association’s new “Yard of the Month” competition.

The contest is a spin-off of a popular monthly competition hosted by the Bay View Pines Civic Association in Flanders. Local residents nominate homes in their neighborhood with great yards, and then the community votes on the best one during the civic’s monthly meeting.

The contest drew a record-breaking turnout of 48 people to Bay View Pines’ June meeting. “Usually, we’re lucky if we can get 20 people there,” said Ron Fisher, who is currently president of both Bay View Pines and Flanders Riverside Northampton civic associations.

“People really loved it,” he said. “It was really fun and competitive, and we got a ton of nominations.”

Winners will receive a "Yard of the Month" sign, pictured above. Photo: Denise Civiletti
Winners will receive a “Yard of the Month” sign, pictured above. Photo: Denise Civiletti

The competition is a way to draw community members to its civic meetings for a positive cause, Fisher said. “Usually when we see that kind of turnout it’s because of a problem, or because people are against something,” he said. “This time they turned out for something really positive.”

The contest also doubles as a sort of membership drive for the community. Though you don’t need to be a member of the Flanders-Riverside-Northampton Community Association to nominate a home, you do need to be a member to accept the nomination and allow your yard to be voted on during the monthly meeting.

The winner of the contest will have their $20 annual membership dues waived, and they also get a wooden sign they can display in their yard declaring it the yard of the month.

Bay View Pines received a number of new members from the contest since they launched it last month, including the winner of June’s yard of the month at 167 Sylvan Avenue.

Nominations can be sent to ronaldafisher@aol.com or posted to FRNCA’s community Facebook page.

Anyone interested in joining FRNCA can fill out a membership application here.

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