Homefront Appreciation to Replace Homefront Judging

By Alessandra Selgi-Harrigan

Last year the annual Coronado Flower Show did not take place due to the complications of the pandemic. This year, once again the show is cancelled, but homeowners have something to rejoice about - homefront judging will still take place.

This popular event has been renamed Homefront Appreciation and participants will notice some changes from the past. The coveted blue, red and yellow ribbons will be replaced by orange ribbons. For homes deemed to be worthy of the top 10, volunteers will place a star on the ribbon. The Coronado Floral Association (CFA) board will then evaluate those homes and choose three from the top 10. Lisa Daniels, treasurer and homefront

appreciation chair said usually there are about 35 to 40 homes worthy of the top 10 status.

Daniels chose the color orange for the ribbon this year after some brainstorming. The color orange is tied to the “Shop on Orange Ave” campaign by the Chamber of Commerce to encourage residents to shop local. “In keeping of the theme of Orange Ave and we’re all in this together,” she explained.

Daniels said the change to an orange ribbon also means a switch to a gentler judging. “Because of what we’ve all been through…it’s been a rough year, no one needs to be ‘judged,’” she said.

Daniels explained that the decision to go ahead with the homefront appreciation was spurred by the fact that many residents were interested in having it this year. CFA decided to hold the event and remind residents the organization is still alive and well - despite the pandemic and not having a Flower Show.

The first homefront judging event was held in 1922, the same year of the first flower show, but judging as we know it today, started in the 1950s, according to Daniels.

As in the past, the homefront appreciation is a way to get everyone to make an effort to beautify their properties.

Organizing the homefront appreciation is not an easy job and Daniels gets ready a few months in advance. She has already mapped the 60 routes the volunteer judges will need to judge the event. Generally, two judges as a team walk their designated routes looking for homeowners who have gone above and beyond to make their front yard worthy of the ribbon.

Daniels is not sure what will happen next year with this event. The year 2022 marks the Flower Show’s 100th anniversary and there has been no decision on whether the ribbons will go back to the traditional blue, red and yellow or stay orange.

Another change this year is that the certificate that comes with the ribbon will be half the size, in consideration of the environment. Daniels has worked on the ribbons with John Weimann who has helped with that job for a number of years.

The logo of the Coronado Floral Association has also changed. Although still using the Crown of Bohemia flower, which is a

yellow hibiscus, the logo has been updated. “We’re taking our older logo and sprucing it up,” said Daniels who has worked with resident Gina Falletta on the new design.

Residents are encouraged to volunteer as Homefront Appreciation judges and Daniels hopes to find a replacement for her position next year. Anybody interested can shadow her to get an idea of the job.

Homefront Judging takes a few months to put together. Daniels, who has worked on the judging for the past four years, also has to make sure she gets 75 percent of the volunteers needed before she commits to holding the event. As usual, volunteers will judge homefronts including xeriscapes, as well as apartment buildings, condominiums, commercial areas, hotels, churches, schools, the Coronado Shores and the Coronado Cays. In the past, about 6,000 homes have been judged. The volunteers walk for an average of two hours to judge homes or businesses on their route. Daniels said a variety of people have volunteered as teams - including families and mothers and daughters.

The judging will take place April 22-25 with results announced in the May 5 Coronado Magazine.

“It’s time to get out there, pull your weeds, plant flowers and spruce up your property,” said Daniels.

Those interested in volunteering or shadowing Daniels can send an email to nadohomefront@gmail.com