Since moving back to Superior, Linda Shiflett has become involved in more community organizations than she cares to talk about, frankly because she might realize she’s busier than she wanted to be as this is retirement.

She and her late husband actually retired in 2004 and lived in a motorhome following the NASCAR and NHRA Drag Racing circuits. They moved to Mexico where he passed and she returned home last year. 

She and a couple of gal-pals were behind the new paint job on the Veterans Bridge in Superior earlier this spring which blossomed into taking care of the hanging flower baskets that have been absent for several years. 

“Would you consider thinking about taking on the project of the hanging flower baskets,” she smiled when remembering this was asked of them by the Town of Superior at the meeting where the council offered to pay for much of the painting expenses. “We’ll think about it,” Shiflett told them. “And right before the Christmas Tree lighting last year, we were approached to decorate the (Veterans) bridge with the big wreaths. We did, but the wreaths were really sparce so we bought lights and took all of the decorations that Women in Timber had and that helped but then Jan (Allen) and I went to Dillards in Missoula and at their 75% off sale, we bought all new decorations for the wreaths.” 

The public will see them this coming Christmas as each wreath is about 8 feet wide and will be installed from the light posts on the bridge.

“At the February meeting (Town of Superior), we said we’ll do the flower baskets but we’re going to need to do some research,” so they contacted Swan River Gardens in Bigfork which is where the original eight flowerpots Emily Ornelas used when it began so the history was all shared. 

At the March meeting the council voted to fund the project along with Scott Dodd and Ryan Funke who donated funding. The order was made and the baskets were planted and grown in the greenhouse until just before Memorial Day weekend when they were brought to Superior and are now watered every morning around 9 a.m. by Shiflet, Allen and other volunteers. The flowers are all petunia surfinia along with some Glechoma (creeping Charlie).

“Emily Ornelas was the driving force,” recalls Brenda Schneider, clerk and treasurer for Superior.  “She asked the Council to purchase the flower baskets, and they were first put up in 2017. Emily watered them seven days a week twice a day.  She had a few people who helped water, with one being Shirley Iwata.  Not sure who else.  Emily is the one who took care of the project and volunteers.” 

Emily Ornelas passed in 2021.