We're grateful to all our volunteers, without whom UCB couldn't operate. As a way of saluting their generosity and capabilities, from time to time we'll spotlight remarkable-even astonishing-individuals.

Have you noticed the new look of our website, www.ucityinbloom.org?  The updated information, frequent screen refreshes and linked e-newsletter are all thanks to one volunteer's technical skill. He saw the site's potential not just for U City in Bloom fans but for home gardeners as well. Where did we find this amazing volunteer? Arno Perlow found us!

Arno's work with the National Weather Service transferred him to St. Louis in 1998, and after three years of living in St. Charles (near the office), he and wife Cherie moved to University City in 2001. He was immediately struck with the diversity of his new neighborhood, the amount of work involved in owning a hundred year-old house...and the beautiful gardens along U City's boulevards, public buildings and parks. "I was so impressed that this work was done primarily by volunteers," he says, "that when I got an envelope in the mail asking for a contribution to U City in Bloom, I responded with a check and an offer to help with web design."

U City in Boom took him up on it, and he set to work on the site. He comments, "It not only gave me the opportunity to play a small part in this worthwhile effort, but I had the pleasure of meeting some of those wonderful people involved with the organization."

The many changes that have taken place over the last year and a half are the result of a simple question: "Arno, do you have any ideas for how to add a little more information to the site about what we do and who we are?" Arno was off and running. He's not out of ideas yet; he's just waiting for us to catch up with him.

Arno was also frustrated by our lack of "day of" photos from the 2009 Garden Tour. Nan Rochberg had taken outstanding pre-event photos of the tour gardens, and Arno knew the photos in the 2011 brochure would be just as good. He was so determined to have photos of the tour day that he took some himself. Like the rest of our photographers on that memorable day in September, he had to brave the rain.

After 35 years of federal service that included 19 moves to different states and countries, Arno says he is glad to have settled here: "I love my neighborhood and its people." Retired now, he and Cherie have time to volunteer for community service. Aside from gardening, his interests include soccer, cycling and walking.

"I am grateful to have the time and ability to give back to give back to my community," Arno says, and we're grateful for the skill and imagination he applies to our website.


Thank you, Arno, for your extraordinary energy and commitment!