By Kate Bartlett
Anyone who has appreciated the clean, beautiful streets of Ellicottville and admired the hanging baskets, barrels, gazebo, Alley Katz garden, clock tower, garden in front of Katy’s cafe and the two creek beds adorning the village have experienced the work of the Alley Katz. This group of local women have been working to beautify Ellicottville since 1979.
The group was originally founded by Edna Northrup and Jody Bently who recognized the need for a beautification group in Ellicottville. They realized the streets needed a little TLC and organized a group of ladies to join them in cleaning up the areas around the newly planted trees. A major project they took on was cleaning up a village alley. As they got down and dirty cleaning, they joked that they looked like ‘a bunch of alley cats.’ The name stuck and the Alley Katz were born.
Many years ago, The Alley Katz ran large fundraisers of quilt sales, bake sales and received funding from the village budget for the group to operate. When Debbie Yantomasi took over as leader (now president) in 2010, the group was well established. “The solid foundation of this group made it much easier to carry on,” remarks Debbie. “If it weren’t for the efforts of these amazing women, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do today.”
Debbie has focused on helping the group streamline and run more efficiently. The Alley Katz meet every Tuesday throughout the spring and summer months to maintain the flowers, plan and execute projects. Currently, the group is at 35 volunteers, its highest membership to date. Although they are now officially a 501c3, the group remains 100% volunteer and donation based.
“While we’re in the process of applying for grants, we currently rely completely on donor funds. We’re grateful to reliably receive generous donations from Holiday Valley, Village of Ellicottville and the Rotary Club, along with some funding from the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce. The flowers cost around $6,500/year alone, in addition to our other year-round projects and seasonal gazebo decor. Without donations, none of this would be possible.”
The Alley Katz have become a year-round organization, as they decorate the gazebo in all seasons. “The gazebo is one of the main focal points of the village, and it’s important to us that it always looks good. Many visitors and locals alike appreciate the flowers and decorations on the gazebo through the seasons.” Other recent projects include the Ellicottville Memorial Library, Historical Society and the 219 side of the Episcopal Church. The group removed overgrown bushes and plants and replaced with ornamental grasses and flowers, giving a refreshed look to each space.
Debbie mentions a main difference in the village this season is the lack of barrels along the streets. “We are down to only 16 barrels from 44 due to damage, and we’ve already had one hanging basket stolen. It’s important people realize how much time and money go into these efforts, and we hope to be able to continue our work.”
Alley Katz is seeking more business support in order to continue their work in keeping Ellicottville beautiful. “We enjoy what we do, but it’s getting more difficult every year to keep these things going. Our resources are getting slim, and while we have the membership, we’re still lacking funds.” The group is also seeking more business involvement during cleanup efforts, such as cleaning sidewalk pavers.
Anyone interested in volunteering with Alley Katz can contact Debbie at evlalleykatz@gmail.com, and any business or individuals looking to help fund their efforts can scan the QR code attached, or email Debbie. Checks can be mailed to Alley Katz of Ellicottville, Inc. PO Box 1407, Ellicottville, NY 14731. Follow on Facebook and IG @ AlleyKatzEvl. “We’re so fortunate to live in such a beautiful place, let’s help keep it that way.”
The Alley Katz have become a year-round organization, as they decorate the gazebo in all seasons. “The gazebo is one of the main focal points of the village, and it’s important to us that it always looks good. Many visitors and locals alike appreciate the flowers and decorations on the gazebo through the seasons.”
As they got down and dirty cleaning, they joked that they looked like ‘a bunch of alley cats.’ The name stuck and the Alley Katz were born.