Monday, August 23, 2021 10:40 AM
A new team, the Louisston-Porter Plant and Garden Club, is improving the Louisston area this summer. The members of this group of students needed active attention in their own time, active weeds in the gardens. The team’s academic adviser will be John Mango.
The first garden to be renovated was a memorial garden near Red Brick in Lewiston – and the team’s efforts were noticed. “It’s great that young people are learning to do community service and beautify Lewston,” said Anne Welch, mayor of Lewiston Village.
On Wednesday, August 18, he helped clear the Fesmes N Force Garden on Central Street. Pictured in this garden are Christine Wilson and Nathan Rhodes, who regularly take care of this garden.
The student group was formed by growing interest in plants, including trees and wildflowers. A year ago he decided to start a club and share his interests with other people in the school district. Although he was not sure what the club would do, he said, “I am happy with the way it is going with community service projects.”
The club will officially start next school year and there are approximately 15 members so far. After the end of the school day, meetings at Lu-Port High School will be held regularly.
The team’s work will be a positive experience for future careers.
Rhodes said, “It’s like a high school, in the corner of college. In college, I was a major in environmental engineering, and in horticulture. My dream school is Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. I would like to attend Ubi or Rochester University.
So far, the team has continued to improve gardens on and off the school grounds. “Make plans to renovate gardens and other gardens in the athletic field on my school grounds,” Rhodes said.
The team is launching a special project, a wildflower garden near PEC in P-Port. This garden will be a collection of plants native to Western New York. It serves as a sanctuary for endangered insects and birds. The club grows roses and ornamental flowers. Community members can help the group by donating vegetables.
The Louisston Garden Club supports this new club effort and offers a limited scholarship to qualified candidates for higher education. Lewiston Garden Club does this with a fundraiser from GardenFest.