Every neighborhood has them.
The guy who’s always mowing his lawn. The lady who’s always planting flowers and pulling weeds. The couple that’s constantly painting, washing or fixing something around the house.
Their pride in their homes and yards translates into a better looking community for everyone to enjoy.
In Oxford Village, these dedicated, hard-working folks are honored for their tireless efforts on an annual basis and this year is no exception.
Six residential properties, two commercial properties and one church were selected for recognition as part of the 22nd Annual Beautification Awards.
This year’s winners are:
n 678 Bay Pointe Drive owned by Thomas and Lynn Kennis;
n 818 Leighton Lane owned by Peter and Michele Lewis;
n 645 Lakes Edge Drive owned by James and Linda Campbell;
n 61 W. Burdick St. owned by Bobby and Patsy Langdon;
n 37 Dennison St. owned by John and Cindy DuVal;
n 95 Dennison St. owned by Jerome and Donna Graessle;
n Parker Veterinary Hospital located at 5 Mechanic St.;
n Oxford Veterinary Hospital located at 6 Lincoln St.;
n Oxford United Methodist Church located at 21 E. Burdick St.
Winners were selected based on their property’s aesthetic contributions ? landscaping, upkeep, repairs and improvements ? towards the village’s overall appearance.
The awards are designed to encourage others to spruce up or maintain their residential and commercial properties, which has the net effect of beautifying the entire community.
This year’s winners will be honored at a 7 p.m. ceremony on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in the village’s community room (22 W. Burdick St.).
For first-time honorees, Linda Campbell (645 Lakes Edge Drive) and Michele Lewis (818 Leighton Lane) the recognition is exciting and very much appreciated.
‘I’m speechless,? said Campbell, who purchased her home in 1994. ‘I’ve put a lot of heart and soul into the lawn and flowers. It’s just something I’ve always enjoyed. I’m thrilled beyond words to be recognized for it. I’ve never won anything like this before.?
‘We’re just very, very excited. We’re surprised and grateful for it,? said Lewis, who’s owned her home for 22 years. ‘We take pride in our home. We take pride in our neighborhood.?
Both Campbell and Lewis indicated they enjoy working in their yards for therapeutic reasons.
‘We’d rather (pay to) water the grass than pay a shrink,? said Lewis with a chuckle.
‘When my mother was sick is when I really started getting into it,? explained Campbell.
Now, it helps provide Campbell with some much needed relaxation after working 40-plus hours a week at the law firm of Dickinson Wright in Troy. She’s worked there for 23 years as a legal secretary.
‘Sometimes I work a lot of overtime, then I get to come home and de-stress (by working) on my lawn,? said Campbell, who will turn 64 in November.
Winning a beautification award doesn’t just happen. It takes lots of time and effort, but for Campbell and Lewis, it’s not a chore, it’s a labor of love.
Campbell spends an average of about 10 hours per week working in her yard. She mows the front lawn ‘at least three times a week in the summer? and spends at least five hours working in her yard on weekends.
‘Anybody that knows me knows if they want to see me, I’m usually out working on my lawn,? she said. ‘I’m into all the detail work. I do my own edging. I do my own trimming. I do my own cutting. I do my own fertilizing.?
‘I’ve had instances where new people move into the neighborhood and they want to know who does my lawn,? Campbell added. ‘I have the pleasure of saying, ‘I do.? I find it very rewarding.?
Lewis? husband, Pete, constantly waters the lawn and enjoys every minute of it.
‘We’ve never had a sprinkler system, ever,? she said. ‘He’s always out there with a hose.?
The Lewis family can’t get enough of the great outdoors, so working in the yard is a pure pleasure.
‘It’s our thing,? she said. ‘We’d rather be outside than in (the house). I’d rather pull weeds than clean the inside of the house any day of the week . It’s just who we are. That’s our relaxation. My husband and I just enjoy playing in the dirt.?
Lewis noted her family always flies the American flag outside their home and tries to tie many aspects of their environment, such as the flower gardens, to the red, white and blue color scheme.
‘We’re proud to be Americans,? she said. ‘We have strong family ties to serving the country.?