Beautification
Luminaries
La Bella Fontanta Di Napole:
34 members, calling themselves "Bellas", maintain a circular park with a large Italian fountain as it's centerpiece. A gift to the club of $12,000 was used in 2018 to fund a tree replacement project in partnership with the city of Long Beach. Turf, 500 feet of boxwood hedges, and trees are tended by volunteers. There are 7 - 8 official 'clean-ups' a year.
In order to keep its luster, our Historic Park continues to be lovingly maintained by club members. Our members meet in the park for TLC clean-up to give trees, hedges and palms specialized gardening. Additionally, the club funds monthly maintenance to supplement the City's sub-contractors work. Film makers have used the park on several occasions and have donated over $1,500 toward its upkeep. For the past four years, in early December, our members light luminaries around the fountain. Carolers from a nearby church come to ring in the holiday season. This tradition is enjoyed by the entire community.
Naples School:
Naples School has been a project of the club for 4 years. Our club has purchased and installed plants and trees, usually before the spring Arbor Day program, to restore the landscape to its traditional plan. 17 volunteers from the club weed, prune, rake, and fertilize landscaped beds monthly around the historic 1925 building, the auditorium, and school library. A small rose garden is also deadheaded and fertilized.
Naples Plaza Median:
Naples Plaza Median was our first beautification project 16 years ago. The median has 6 landscaped areas where olive trees and white Iceberg roses thrive. 16 members weed, deadhead, and battle mildew and rust on the roses at least 7 times a year. An irrigation system was installed by the city to keep the plants flourishing and is monitored by the volunteers.
Second Street Planters:
Second Street Planters is a long established project of NIGC. Large, concrete planters stretch for seven blocks along the shopping and restaurant street of Naples Island. Planted with low water plants, the containers are tended and watered by 19 volunteers from the club who also replace plants as needed.
Beautification Awards:
The appearance of Naples Island has always been a top priority of the Club. Certificates for attractive and tidy landscaping were given in our earliest days. In 1987 Arv Luce designed a landscaping award with a beautiful pansy on it. Homeowners were dismayed they did not get to keep the award and Chris Gilisssen began to create his handmade, hand painted wooded tulip that remained with each winner. The award program continues today; it was given to the first commercial recipient in 2013.