Virtually Cuba

Viva Cuba has be instrumental in the beautification of Cuba, with plantings of trees and shrubs along Highway 19 and a state award for their efforts, as well as extensive plantings all over town. The Viva Cuba Beautification Committee, its full name, sponsors a town-wide clean-up each spring, attracting many other groups to help make the town more attractive.

It got its name almost as an afterthought. It was at a meeting at which a loosely knit group of civic leaders came together to formalize their efforts to make Cuba a more attractive town. They wanted a catchy name for their new group. The name, "Viva Cuba," was suggested by one of those present and it became the rallying cry for the entire community.

One of their major achievements was to purchase a small price of property on the northwest corner of the intersection of Washington and Franklin Boulevards. Through the sponsorship of park benches and the sale of individual memorial bricks with names inscribed on them, they turned an eyesore into a virtual garden, named, of course, the Viva Cuba Garden.

In 1995, this group purchased a complete set of holiday wreaths at great expense to be placed on the utility poles on Highway 19 during the winter holidays.

Viva Cuba's projects have included the development of People's Park, banners along the highway for Viva Cuba and various holidays, Annual Beautification of the Industrial Park, and the Christmas time illumination of 2000 trees lining Highway 19.

Viva Cuba's most recent achievement was to purchase a set of new Viva Cuba banners for Highway 19, and Route 66 banners for Washington Boulevard, once the internationally famous Highway 66. Both these projects were done at great cost and with the member scrambling to find the financial resources to pay for them. If you ever want to see a totally optimistic group whose vision is concentrated on one goal, the beautification of their town, you only have to attend on of their periodical meetings. It's open to anyone who believes in beauty.