Attractive communities don’t just magically happen.
They require buckets of sweat, tireless commitment and most importantly, property owners who care deeply about enhancing and maintaining their curb appeal.
Fortunately, Oxford Village has plenty of the latter as demonstrated by the winners of the 26th Annual Beautification Awards. The list was released last week.

Seven homes, two commercial properties and one church were selected for this honor.
The winners are:
• 646 Bay Pointe Drive – Walter and Doris Basko
• 86 Dayton St. – Linda C. Bartnik; John and Carrie Suttle
• 645 Lakes Edge Drive – Jim and Linda Campbell
• 659 Thornehill Trail – Andy and Julie Marshall
• 61 W. Burdick St. – Bob, Pat and Bobby Langdon
• 29 Moyers St. – John and Donna Bossardet
• 17 Pontiac St. – Mark and Sharon McClenaghan
• 21 E. Burdick St. – Oxford United Methodist Church
• 2 Lincoln St. – Oxford Veterinary Hospital
• 75 Pontiac St. – Village Manor Apartments
Winners were chosen by the Oxford Village Beautification Commission based on their properties’ aesthetic contributions toward the community’s overall appearance.
Landscaping, upkeep, repairs and improvements were all evaluated and considered during judging.

The long-running awards program is designed to encourage people to spruce up or maintain their properties, which has the net effect of helping to beautify the entire village.
As usual, the winners were excited and honored to have their properties thrust into the local spotlight.
“It feels great,” said Linda Campbell, who’s lived in her Oxford Lakes home since 1994. “This is my second time winning . . . Thank you to the (commission) for selecting me again. It’s always nice to know people notice what you do.”
The Campbells’ property was previously honored in 2014.
“I’m just glad to know that our hard work is appreciated,” said Julie Marshall, who’s happy “to help keep Oxford beautiful.”
The Marshalls also won in 2013.
“It’s always nice to be recognized,” said Carrie Suttle, who lives with her mother, Linda Bartnik, and husband, John Suttle.
This is the third beautification award for Bartnik and the Suttles. The other two were given in 2004 and 2013.
Carrie noted most of the credit for the yard’s appearance should go to her mother.
“My mom is definitely (the one with) the green thumb. We’re the helpers,” she said.
Folks who win beautification awards typically don’t spend hours upon hours mowing, planting, weeding and watering, from spring through fall, just to get a plaque.
Each has their own motivation for turning their properties into showplaces.
“I just love working outside in the yard,” Campbell said. “It helps clear my mind. It’s more therapeutic than anything else. I enjoy it and that’s why I do it.”
“We just appreciate it ourselves,” explained Marshall, who’s lived here for almost 18 years. “We try to teach our kids that you should take care of things that are yours and appreciate what you have.”
“We certainly don’t do it for anyone else but ourselves,” Suttle said. “It’s about taking pride in where you live. We get a lot of comments from people walking (by) about how nice the yard is. That certainly inspires you to keep it going. It’s always nice to mow the yard, sit back, look at what you’ve done and just be thankful.”
Campbell believes having owners who are passionate about caring for their properties inspires folks around them to do the same.
“When I walk around and I see other people doing nice things with their houses, that’s incentive to go home and make yours look as good as it can,” she said.
This year’s beautification awards will be presented on Tuesday, Oct. 9 in the community room inside the village municipal complex on W. Burdick St. Ceremony begins at 7 p.m.

For photos of all the winners, pick up this week’s issue of the Oxford Leader for just $1.