After reading a letter to the editor by Jim Blake I debated a few days if I should respond or not and finally decided I needed to.

Earlier this year when I drove through Hoquiam I noticed and always enjoyed the plants throughout the city. I decided to find out who was responsible for buying and taking care of them. I was told it was a volunteer committee named the Hoquiam Beautification Committee, not the City of Hoquiam and that everything was paid for by donations. I sent money several times to help buy the plants that I enjoyed so much and then decided to ask if I could help in some way. The answer was yes, I could. I now have several pots that my friend Debbie and I are responsible to care for. Many of the volunteers who work with the committee donate their own money to help care for the plants they are in charge of. They buy such things as mulch, plant food and carriers to haul water in. I was so surprised and disappointed that anyone would complain about the plants or the space they take up. They make our city so much prettier. The committee head and all of the volunteers work very hard and spend a lot of time to beautify our town, not only for the people traveling through, but for the people who live here also. Please enjoy.

Pat Englund

Hoquiam