The next generation of Gazette-Journal readers is taking inspiration from the paper to create new beauty in their own lives.

Eight-year-old Luci Wittenbrook of Hayes enjoys perusing the Gazette-Journal after her brother, 10-year-old Charlie, finishes reading it each week.

“My brother likes reading the newspaper,” said Luci.

This past spring, Luci became enamored by the Gazette-Journal’s Community News page, which has featured a variety of flower and nature scenes for over four years. The vast array of life and color made Luci think, “maybe I could plant my own garden.”

This led to Luci and her mom, Natalie, on a mission to find the right flower for Luci to grow.

“I really wanted to plant roses,” said Luci.

While out to buy roses, she discovered morning glories, which produce many vibrant colors that Luci thought would look great next to the house.

“I love rainbows and color,” she said.

She planted her morning glory seed packet in the spring and watched as the plant slowly started to grow. In only two months, Luci got her flowers. Through the summer, Luci enjoyed light and dark purple flowers, as well as some pink and white ones.

“They started to climb up the house,” said Luci about her plant’s vining habit.

Every morning, Luci watered her morning glories if it had not rained the night before. “It’s really fun,” said Luci about watering her flowers.

Throughout the warm months, Luci loved to take a book out on the front porch and read while enjoying the aroma of her flowers.

“I want to plant more morning glories next spring,” she said.

In addition to her morning glories, Luci hopes to plant red roses one day. Her favorite Disney princess is Belle from the Beauty and Beast movie, which features lots of red roses.

“I just really love the red roses in the live action one,” said Luci.

The Gazette-Journal flower page began in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic following the cancellation of the Gloucester Daffodil Festival. The paper asked its readers to send in daffodil photos to help brighten people’s outlook during such an uncertain time. Nearly five years later, the page has grown to include flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors, as well as nature scenes, all submitted by readers of the paper.

Luci is in the third grade and her favorite subject is math. She wants to become a nurse one day, just like her grandmother.

“I like helping people,” said Luci.

In addition to her brother Charlie, Luci has two other siblings, 12-year-old Harry and five-year-old Noelle. Their father is William.