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A year-round blooming cycle will grace Eleventh Avenue Southwest.

On Thursday, volunteers from the Pride in Community Appearance - PICA - group planted 22 flowering trees along a former railroad right of way.

The trees were planted at the request of the Rev. Madai Taylor, pastor of Agape Church Wheel of Compassion Ministries, part of a larger group effort in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood, said PICA co-founder Jan Wilson.

"Last fall, we did some planting on Ninth Avenue Southwest around the Agape church," Wilson said.

Thursday's plantings were financed by a $2,000 Trees Please grant from Mid-American Energy, he said.

The trees - Spring Snow Crabapple, Red Splendor Crabapple, Washington Hawthorn, and Japanese Lilacs - were specifically selected to provide a mix of species that flower at different times of the year, Wilson said.

"There will be a variety of colors throughout the year," Wilson said.

The trees will tie into other landscaping efforts in the vicinity, said Wilson.

Earlier this year, Iowa Central Community College planted a number of donated trees along the perimeter of the Crimmins Center, which is located directly southeast of the PICA project. Also nearby, Kenyon Road will see landscaping funded by grant money from the Iowa Department of Transportation, Wilson said.

Approximately 20 volunteers pitched in for the project - one of several completed by PICA since April.

Next on the group's agenda will be to beautify the curve of Martin Luther King Drive west of Fort Dodge Senior High. The city is in the process of reconstructing the street, including adding a curb and gutter to replace the long-standing wooden road barrier.

Once that is finished, PICA volunteers will landscape the area, adding trees and bushes.

Established in 2002, PICA has directed thousands of hours of donated labor toward improvement projects in the city.

PICA volunteers receive basic project materials such as mulch and rock from the city.

Funding for plants and trees comes from numerous sources, including grants, donations - and litter.

While on a walk several years ago, Arlene Lee noticed a number of aluminum cans cluttering her route.

"I was quite a ways from home, and I said, 'Lord, I would pick up these cans if I had a sack,'" said Lee, a PICA volunteer.

At that point, a sack blew into Lee's path. She filled it with cans and donated the proceeds to PICA, thus beginning a tradition continued by Lee and emulated by other PICA volunteers that has netted the group several hundred dollars.

"It's been a joy to pick up these cans," she said. "I'm getting exercise, trash is getting picked up and the town is benefiting from the profits."

But these days, Lee always has a sack ready in her back pocket.

Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net