Potted plants, doormats for Pallet shelter

There is an opportunity now for the people of Chico to help transform the newly opened Pallet shelter site into an attractive village that reflects personal pride of place and individuality along with a sense of community. One idea: The City of Chico, Butte County, Jesus Center and the Pallet shelter staff facilitate the availability of a variety of large potted plants, colorful doormats, or other outdoor decor items— perhaps donated or discounted for this purpose by local businesses — for pallet shelter residents to choose from to decorate and individualize the outside of their units.

Residents of our area could donate/purchase and transport items to a designated area at the shelter site, where the residents of the village could come to pick out the ones that appeal to them, and take them to their units for outside use. There should be a limit of one donated potted plant and doormat per unit.

The watering and maintenance of the plants and cleaning of the doormats should be the individual resident’s responsibility and should not be placed upon the shelter staff. (We understand that the residents will have a water source in their shelters or nearby, and assume brooms and basic cleaning supplies will be available for upkeep of the units and areas around them by the residents.)

This is just one idea; there are probably many others out there from people who want to see this shelter succeed in its goals. We look forward to helping make that happen.

— Mark and Cynthia Gailey,

Chico