Azalea Celebration

The WRAL Azalea Celebration: An Overview

Each year WRAL-TV 5, MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM and NC Beautiful sponsor the WRAL Azalea Celebration. Through this program WRAL-TV gives away over 10,000 azaleas to over 100 non-profits from all over the state of North Carolina each October.

The Azalea Celebration Process:

• North Carolina non-profits apply for the plants by submitting landscaping ideas to use azaleas to beautify their property
• Winners are notified and pick up their azaleas from Capitol Broadcasting Company's nursery
  in October.
• The project supports non-profits in working together to enhance community appearance by establishing well-maintained & continuous projects.

CBC President and CEO Jim Goodmon started the annual event in 1985 with the goal of beautifying the community and introducing new and unusual varieties of azaleas. WRAL-TV, MIX 101.5 and NC Beautiful sponsor the event in order to promote the enhancement of community appearance. The giveaway strives to "establish a continuous, well-maintained project for their community to enjoy and emulate."

CBC Property Management staff and volunteers distribute the plants at the CBC transmitter site in Auburn , NC , where the greenhouses and cutting beds are located. Cuttings for the azalea celebration are exclusively from WRAL plants.

The A.J. Fletcher Awards

View 2006 A.J. Fletcher Award winners
View the list of past A.J. Fletcher Award winners

CBC Founder A.J. Fletcher

Three years after having won azaleas in the WRAL Azalea Celebration, each non-profit is eligible for an A.J. Fletcher Award. Named for the founder of Capitol Broadcasting Company and creator of the WRAL Gardens , the A.J. Fletcher Awards honor organizations who have best maintained their landscaping projects created with their WRAL azaleas.

The first A.J. Fletcher Awards were presented in 1986. Originally one winner was chosen to receive 100 additional azaleas and a $500 check from Capitol Broadcasting Company. In 2003, the WRAL Celebration coordinators began choosing first, second and third place winners.

• First place receives $500 and 100 azaleas,
• Second place receives $250 and 50 azaleas,
• Third place receives $125 and 25 azaleas.
• All winners receive a plaque honoring their efforts.

NC Beautiful invites qualifying organizations each year, sending them an application. Finalists are selected from the applicants, and CBC Property Management Manger Tim Grissom personally visits each one to select the winner.

The 2007 A.J. Fletcher Award Winners
The 2007 Azalea Celebration was held on October 6, 2007. Over 10,000 azaleas were awarded to 144 groups statewide. Congratulations to all the 2007 winners!

Read the Capitol Broadcasting Company capcom story

View the list of past A.J. Fletcher Award winners

1st place- Twogreenthumbs Garden Club of Knightdale, NC
Twogreenthumbs Garden Club of Knightdale received: 100 azaleas $500 check from CBC 1st place award plaque	CBC's Tim Grissom (l) presents the 1st Place award and plaque to representatives from the Twogreenthumbs Garden Club of Knightdale (click to enlarge)
2nd place- Just-A-Mere Garden Club, Dunn, NC
Just-A-Mere Garden Club received: 50 azaleas $250 check from CBC 2nd place award plaque	CBC's Tim Grissom (l) congratulates the Just-A-Mere Garden Club representatives (click to enlarge)
3rd place- Scotch Gardeners Garden Club
Scotch Gardeners Garden Club received: 25 azaleas $125 check from CBC 3rd place award plaque	CBC's Tim Grissom (r) presents representatives from Scotch Gardeners Garden Club with a plaque (click to enlarge)

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