Miss America comes home
to Plant for the Cure
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More than 31,000 people attended the OAN’s Yard, Garden and Patio show this year. Visitors enjoyed display gardens that included many great plants grown in our region. Hundreds of show-goers were treated to a visit with Katie Harman, the reigning Miss America who also happens to be the girl next door.

Katie grew up in the neighboring town of Gresham. During her reign as Miss America, she is working to raise awareness for early detection of cancers and to improve care for those who are suffering from the disease. As a spokesperson for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, she spoke with great passion about the importance of regular checkups for early detection of breast cancer. She stressed how important support from family and friends is in the treatment of cancer.

Katie charmed audiences at three YGP sessions. Her hosts, Eamonn Hughes of Hughes Water Gardens, and Mike Darcy, host of Portland television and radio gardening shows, showed her how to create window boxes and water bowls. Their stage was a peaceful landscape that included fountains and pools and trees from our nursery.

After her talk, Katie autographed photos and gave a cyclamen (donated by the Plant for the Cure program) to each person who gave a gift to the Foundation.

More than $1,800 was raised. A silent auction of boulevard trees on the show floor, donated by Northwest Shade Trees, raised an additional $2,200 for a total of about $4,000 raised for breast cancer research.
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