Oleg Valenchuk: Only those who care change the world for the better.

      The event brought together thousands of Kirov residents: teams from educational institutions, gardeners, apartment building activists and all concerned people who love their city and strive to make it bright and blooming. To help all these tireless workers, social projects of State Duma deputy and chairman of the Union of Gardeners of Russia Oleg Valenchuk operate in the Kirov region. Among them are projects well known to residents of the Vyatka region: "Gardens of Memory," "Young Gardener," "Seeds of the Union of Gardeners of Russia," "School of Gardeners" and the "Road Program." As part of the celebration, not only were the results of the past gardening season summed up, but the winners of various Union of Gardeners competitions were also awarded.

      The main attention that day was on participants of the "Let's Adorn the Motherland with Flowers" project. Every year more than 1,500 organizations and institutions in the Kirov region — schools and kindergartens, libraries and museums, houses of culture and centers for additional education — receive kits of flower seeds from the Union of Gardeners of Russia. This year among the winners were Kindergarten No. 22 and School No. 70 of Kirov.

      A special prize in the "Who Has More?!" contest was awarded to gardener Ekaterina Kryukova for the best video report. At each stage (from sowing the seeds to gathering the last fruit) she kept a diary of observations and documented everything with photos.

      Oleg Valenchuk also recognized apartment building activists with letters of appreciation and valuable gifts. These are selfless, active and caring people who live next to us on neighboring stairwells. They take part in PPMI, are engaged in improving the areas around their buildings, organize celebrations and unite their neighbors, know all residents by name and are always ready to help.

      Together with guests of the celebration, Oleg Valenchuk viewed an exhibition of products from gardeners from various gardeners’ associations (SNTs) in the city, children's crafts made from natural materials and luxurious bouquets assembled from flowers grown on dacha plots. The exhibition-competition of Vyatka grape growers left unforgettable impressions on all visitors.

      "Our grape growers have made a real breakthrough in recent years. The persistence and talent of these remarkable people, multiplied by their love for their work, have made the incredible possible — to establish this southern crop in our harsh climate. Many still do not believe that such sweet, juicy bunches were grown in Kirov. It is, of course, a true man-made miracle!" noted Oleg Valenchuk.

      Various master classes were organized for event participants: on landscape design, decorative vegetable carving, seed sowing, and little guests could make wooden souvenirs. Visitors could also get consultations from leading agronomists, regular lecturers of the School of Gardeners.

      Anyone could sample herbal tea, enjoy aromatic pilaf from the Union of Gardeners and taste the juicy apples grown in the Gardens of Memory.

      "It is very important that our projects have brought together so many active Kirov residents, because it is precisely such caring people who change the world for the better," said Oleg Valenchuk. "At the celebration we saw happy faces, felt the energy of kindness and, most importantly, an amazing unity among people. Believe me, together we are capable of moving any mountain! And the Union of Gardeners will continue to support everyone who seeks to improve their living environment, so all our projects will only continue to develop."