Grow and Give: Woolrich Community Center launches garden to provide fresh produce, educational opportunities
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LAURA TARANTELLA/THE EXPRESS
Organizer Erin Winslow holds the new sign for the Woolrich Community Center Grow and Give garden in front of a handmade produce stand made by Jeremy and Colton Snyder.
WOOLRICH -- The Woolrich Community Center has launched its new Community Grow and Give Garden, an initiative designed to provide fresh produce, educational opportunities and acts of kindness throughout the community.
Made possible through a generous grant from the Clinton County Community Foundation, the project features several raised garden beds stocked with vegetables, fruits and flowers. The garden is intended to serve as a community resource where residents will be able to take fresh produce at no cost later this summer.
The project has also received strong support from local businesses and volunteers.
Rizzo's Greenhouse and Flower Shop, through owner Paul Rizzo, donated seeds, strawberries, onions and blueberry bushes to help get the garden established.
Sherry Herritt played a key role in securing soil and lumber, with materials provided through Lowe's in Mill Hall, helping transform the vision into reality.
"This project truly represents what can happen when a community comes together," organizer Erin Winslow said. "We couldn't have done it without the generosity and support of so many people."
Beyond providing fresh food, the garden is also intended to serve as a place for learning and community engagement.
This fall, the Woolrich Community Center plans to offer three free educational workshops focusing on canning, soup making and sourdough bread baking, with participants encouraged to use produce grown in the garden.
Organizers are also cultivating flowers to brighten the days of patients at local hospitals and residents of area nursing homes.
As the garden continues to grow, organizers hope it will become an annual community tradition, expanding each season while encouraging neighbors to share, learn and give back.
Community members interested in volunteering, donating or assisting with the project are encouraged to contact the Woolrich Community Center by email at woolrichcommunitycenter@gmail.com.