The Cottage Grove Planters Society members L to R: L.T. Gary, L. White, D. Williams and G.T. McInnis
"Walking into the future while remembering the past"
The Cottage Grove Planters Society is a small group of determined neighborhood residents focused on building and maintaining a positive community image.
The sole purpose is to engage the entire community in an ongoing, long lasting beautification effort involving school children, community businesses and other organizations located near the 20 planters in the Chatham community. This project hopes to foster cooperation, communication, pride and beauty created and enjoyed by all.
This second planter project focuses on some of our neighborhood’s local businesses, community related individuals and other notable locations in or near the Grand Crossing area.
We Did It!
The members of the Cottage Grove Planters Society would like to thank:
The professional artists who provided the pencil renditions for the CPS students
All CPS Staff and students of the 7 schools who donated their time and talents to decorating the panels and the Gyrls in the Hood Foundation that joined us and worked hard to complete their panels
• Jermaine Washington, digital tech who enhanced the panels and
added important details and served as our photographer
• Chris Ward, web designer that saved the day at the last minute
• Martha Cain, the printer, who worked out the details of enlarging and protecting the completed panels
• Brian Stancil, the journeyman carpenter who framed and mounted
each of the 80 panels onto the concrete pots
• Michael Tate, Police Commander of the 6th District who came out with his force of officers
to support and watch over the installation ceremonies
• Rev. Louis Montgomery, Jr. of New Bethlehem #4 MBC Church, Rev. Dr. Joseph Gordon of Carter Temple CME and Rev. Dr. Charlie Cross of Greater Institutional AME Church, ministers who blessed us
through the installation ceremonies
• The Directors of Sonyae’s Daycare, who welcomed us in and sheltered us from the cold
• The business owners who showed up to support us
• Members of CTU president Gates team who came to support
• Representatives of CSU President Scott who came to support
• Ms. Shannon, our guardian angel, who ensured the community participated in the installation ceremonies
• And many, many others whose names are listed on the quote panel of each planter
The members of the Cottage Grove Planters Society would like to thank:
The professional artists who provided the pencil renditions for the CPS students
All CPS Staff and students of the 7 schools who donated their time and talents to decorating the panels and the Gyrls in the Hood Foundation that joined us and worked hard to complete their panels
• Jermaine Washington, digital tech who enhanced the panels and
added important details and served as our photographer
• Chris Ward, web designer that saved the day at the last minute
• Martha Cain, the printer, who worked out the details of enlarging and protecting the completed panels
• Brian Stancil, the journeyman carpenter who framed and mounted
each of the 80 panels onto the concrete pots
• Michael Tate, Police Commander of the 6th District who came out with his force of officers
to support and watch over the installation ceremonies
• Rev. Louis Montgomery, Jr. of New Bethlehem #4 MBC Church, Rev. Dr. Joseph Gordon of Carter Temple CME and Rev. Dr. Charlie Cross of Greater Institutional AME Church, ministers who blessed us
through the installation ceremonies
• The Directors of Sonyae’s Daycare, who welcomed us in and sheltered us from the cold
• The business owners who showed up to support us
• Members of CTU president Gates team who came to support
• Representatives of CSU President Scott who came to support
• Ms. Shannon, our guardian angel, who ensured the community participated in the installation ceremonies
• And many, many others whose names are listed on the quote panel of each planter
