CRESTVIEW — When 41 Noirmoutier, France visitors come to Crestview in October, they’ll help dedicate Le Jardin de Noirmoutier — The Garden of Noirmoutier — at Northwest Florida State College’s Bob Sikes Education Center.
After Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile named its main entrance roundabout for Crestview in May 2015, local civic and community leaders wanted something equally impressive to honor their sister city.
“It’s perfect,” Crestview Area Sister City Program treasurer Pam Coffield said of the garden. “It recognizes the importance of Noirmoutier’s relationship with both our community and the college.”
“I cannot think of a better way to acknowledge both the enduring friendship and partnership of our two communities,” NWFSC Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts Division chairman Jeremy Ribando said. “The warm people of Noirmoutier have been especially generous to our students, inviting us repeatedly into their homes to experience their lives.”
ADDING COLOR, BEAUTY
The garden, to be planted in an existing terrace in front of the Sikes Center’s south portico, will be a combined effort of multiple community organizations, the college and area schools. Garden club members inspected the site Tuesday to plan 80 feet of alternating flowers and green plants in brick planters flanking the portico.
“I am delighted to work in conjunction with the Crestview Dogwood Garden Club and other stakeholders on a project to recognize the 20th anniversary of Northwest Florida State College's relationship with our Sister City, Noirmoutier,” Bob Sikes Center Director Patrice Williams-Shuford said. “The garden club’s plans will add color and beauty to the front of the Sikes Center that faces Twin Hills Park.”
Sister City Program members hope to recruit CHOICE welding programs from Crestview High School, Baker and Laurel Hill Schools, and NWF State, to produce bases for four planned informational graphics stands. CHS culinary arts teacher Chef Chuck Tingle said his program would be interested in catering a reception following the Oct. 22 garden dedication.
‘COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT’
“The garden is a real community-wide effort,” Coffield said. “Our relationship with Noirmoutier affects everyone in the Crestview area.”
NWF State shares the Crestview area’s 20-year relationship with Noirmoutier, sending show and traditional choirs to the island every two years, and since 2014, welcoming University of Nantes students to study business there. Crestview’s relationship includes periodic cultural and educational visits — most recently in October 2015 by 21 French students — and a summer internship program at the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We, in partnership with the Crestview Sister City Program, are looking forward to welcoming our French friends back in October,” Ribando said. “We truly are each other’s second homes.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: College, gardeners collaborate on French sister city's Crestview landmark (PHOTOS, VIDEO)