Every morning in the summer and early fall, Jon Gemelke was out watering the large baskets of flowers hanging along the walkway in downtown Woodland Park.

Owner of Miss Priss and Java Haus, Gemelke added the baskets as part of a movement to beautify the city’s main street and attract attention.

The community noticed.

Earlier in December, Gemelke received the 2025 Beautification Award from Keep Woodland Park Beautiful.

A nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the city’s environment, KWPB is a legion of volunteers who spruce up the city.   

This year, the committee requested community input with nominations for beautification efforts of local businesses.

“There were 139 votes from the community and Jon received 67 votes,” said Kassidi Gilgenast, the committee chair who is stepping down after five years.  “We were excited to show support from the community.”

Gemelke, chair of the Downtown Development Authority, promoted the idea of offering microgrants, up to $5,000, to downtown businesses for projects to improve their properties.

At a recent DDA meeting, Gemelke reported that downtown visitors were commenting on how the city had changed, how flower baskets and new paint on exteriors gave the place an upbeat appearance.

In addition to Gemelke’s, nominations included Sofias Antojitos, for revamping an empty space for a new Mexican restaurant; Community Partnership Family Resource Center, for the community garden outside City Hall; and Solid Grounds Coffee Roasters, for their new outdoor patio space.

The committee’s focus is on beautification but also reducing waste.

The KWPB committee sponsors the annual citywide cleanup, which attracts hundreds of volunteers in gloves and carrying trash bags to get rid of trash in various parts of the city.

Other projects include Creek Week, where volunteers in El Paso and Teller counties clean up areas along Fountain Creek.   

“For Creek Week, in coordination with Fountain Creek Watershed District, we cleaned from the center of the city to Crystola,” Gilgenast said.

Gemelke received the award at a City Council meeting earlier in December.  

“It was a great honor for him to be recognized in the community,” Gilgenast said.

In addition to Gilgenast, the committee includes Leah Watters; Sheilah Jimenez; Sarah Horwood; Claudia Miller; Terry Vaughn; Seth Bryant, city council liaison; and Kristen Higginbotham, city staff liaison.