Meet Maria Caravati…

by Tammy Peacy

Photography courtesy of Franco Tarsitano

When Maria Caravati decides that she wants something, she figures out how to go about getting it. Whether it be starting her own business almost ten years ago, or organizing the downtown festival Bloomin’ Days last summer, she isn’t going to sit around waiting for things to happen.

“The thing is that people do have ideas, but few will actually follow through and do something with their ideas,” says Maria. “It’s laziness. It is thinking someone else should do it. I say you do it. It feels wonderful knowing each of us can make a difference. Even if it is a small difference– that’s where it all begins. Now I understand that not everybody has the natural ability to organize an event, but team up with somebody who does have the ability, chances are the other skills will balance it out.”

This is how she organized Bloomin’ Days. “I decided there should be what I called captains to head each area of the event. They were a fantastic group of people to work with who believed in the philosophy of the event. To celebrate Summer, the flower baskets blooming, and of course to celebrate the new spirit of downtown. What better way to celebrate than with music, art, activities for children, a marching band and a bicycle parade. The captains organized the street musicians, the artists, kids activities, vendors and of course the volunteers. Organizing this event was one of the biggest joys of my life. I will never forget the experience. Anyone can do it. Just have the vision and go after it.”
Maria also organized the Adopt-a Basket Program while on the BID board, which helps support the breathtaking flower arrangements you see in hanging baskets and containers throughout the district. “Every day from the end of May to sometime in October I am just tickled seeing the beautiful flowers, knowing what they provide to our community.”
Maria tells the story of how she became involved with the beautiful flower arrangements displayed downtown: “I was already a Master Gardener. I responded to an ad to help with Earth Day clean up, so I helped with that. Then I became a member of Keep Kenosha Beautiful and I asked, “Who does the flowers downtown?” They were these little artificial flowers in these little baskets; they were plastic. They did not reflect the spirit of downtown. I was told that I needed to go talk to Ruth Granger, who was the manager of the downtown BID, and so I said okay. I waited about a year before I went and talked to her because I wanted to do a little bit of research. I figured the biggest obstacle was going to be how are they going to be watered. So I did a little bit of research about what could be done so that they would hold more water and all of these different things. Finally, a year later, I went and talked to her and I said I would like to plant the flowers for downtown. Hanging baskets were what I wanted to start with. She said okay and we started off with thirty baskets. That was seven years ago. And the flowers are still dancing in the streets! People tell me all the time how they bring visitors to downtown just to see the flowers. Isn’t that wonderful? Who doesn’t love flowers?

Tammy: So, tell me about Equinox.

T: Sure, how did it start.

T: I know where the Kemper Center is. I live in Kenosha.

T: I knew solstices, but I didn’t know the– equinoxes? Equinoxes, is that right?

T: What about your building? You moved from the Kemper Center to where you are now.

T: Francisco [Loyola] says you employ 85% of the artists in Kenosha. Are you an artist as well?

Maria Caravati you have been exposed

Equinox is located at 5901 6th Avenue A in Kenosha and offers a variety of services and products from massage to facials to waxing and more.