Reaching Out Through Education
Southern Butler County Garden Club created an Educational Outreach Committee in 2022. Over the last two years, this committee has planned and coordinated several educational events for our community. This year we have five scheduled programs offering various educational opportunities for all age groups.
We are also entering our second year with a special horticultural therapy program that supports adults from our community with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism. These participants (called VIPs) work with our members in the Graham Park Community Garden and the Mars Public Library Garden. Together we weed, water and work the gardens. Each session with the VIPs ends with a garden themed activity or craft.
We're always thinking of ways to share our love and knowledge of gardening. Our next project planned is a 'Book Walk' in the Graham Park Community Garden. A book walk is a creative way to tell a story. A book is brought to life by weather proofing the pages and mounting each page on a stake placed along a walking path. The featured book will be: "The Mighty Pollinators". We hope to have it displayed to coincide with the emergence of the monarch butterflies!
Jill Barger
President, Southern Butler County Garden Club