Harrison Elementary Environmental Club was the very appreciative recipient of the Warsaw Kohl’s AIA Grant Program. Harrison’s E-Club with the help of Lee Ann Miner, Title 1 teacher at Harrison and Deb McClintock, second grade teacher and E-Club sponsor applied for the grant to help rehabilitate an old multi-sensory herb garden.

Five volunteers from the Warsaw Kohl’s store came to Harrison to help dig out overgrown plants, bricks from the old Leesburg School, and lots of weeds to get the herb garden started again.

Harrison was blessed with help from Kohl’s AIA team members; Kim, Karen, Heather, Becky, and Romona. Along with all their hard work, wonderful attitudes, and servant hearts they donated $1500 to help finish off the project.

The purpose of the project is to enhance the use of the vegetables from the already established raised bed gardens that were installed last summer through a grant from KREMC.

This last fall students in all of Harrison’s classes were given the opportunity to snack on fresh vegetables grown in the gardens. Adding fresh herbs offered to the students will give them a new reason to try some of their discovered favorites and try different vegetables in a new way.

Each grade level has been given a portion of the gardens. The grade levels are invited to decide what type of vegetable is planted and to help plant the vegetables that they choose. The students in Harrison’s E-Club participate in planting, harvesting, and distributing the vegetables. The members are also offered the opportunity to help care for the gardens during the summer months.

Also working on the project and giving expert advice were members of the Town & Country Garden Club; Toshiko Gunter, Master Gardener and Peggy Stover, member and Harrison’s computer technician. Harrison staff also added their support: Jo Burden, Speech Services; Pam Brail, second grade; Deb Wiley, second grade; Susan Ramsey, fourth grade; Stacey Mehlberg, special services; Lee Snider, principal; Judy Kinsey, retired fourth grade teacher. Kerry Stover and Scott McClintock were also there pitching in to help. It was a wonderful community effort!