Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Park Avenue School Community Garden Set For June 29

 

Ceremony Celebrates the Work of Parents, School Staff, and United Way Volunteers

 United Way of Western Connecticut invites the public to a ribbon cutting for the Park Avenue School Community Garden on June 29, 2017 at 6 pm. This event will usher in the official opening of the Park Avenue School Community Garden, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by the parents, local funders, and school staff and administration who made the garden possible. State Senator Michael McLachlan of Connecticut’s 24th District, representing communities of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman, will also attend the event.

The garden was created as part of United Way of Western Connecticut’s Strong Start Neighborhood Initiative at Park Avenue School. Strong Start prepares children in the Park Avenue Elementary School neighborhood/zone for success in kindergarten and the early grades, which form a critical foundation for academic achievement and success in the later school years. The garden was supported by Strong Start Program funds from The Grossman Family Foundation.

“This is an amazing garden,” said Kimberly Morgan, CEO of United Way of Western Connecticut. “The parents are rightfully proud of the work they have done to create a beautiful garden that can be used by the school and the neighborhood. Gardens bring people together. This is something that will bring parents, school staff, and the Park Avenue neighbors together for many years.”

The project was spearheaded by Maria Vargas, a bilingual parent outreach worker at Park Avenue School whose work is also funded through Strong Start. Recognizing that parents who don’t speak English as a first language are often hesitant to get involved in extra-curricular school life, Vargas encouraged parent involvement in the garden as a way to break down barriers between parents, school administrators and staff.

The garden includes 14 vegetable beds, with a variety of thriving plants, including lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, cabbages and potatoes. Many parents, particularly students’ fathers who are often unable to attend school events, were important volunteers to this project, from pouring concrete to installing an irrigation system.

This garden was not only built by family, staff and administrators from Park Avenue School, but furnished with generous donations from throughout the community. Park Avenue School parents (and grandparents) contributed more than 30 planting cages for tomatoes and cucumbers, carrots and radish seeds, transportation for building material, and landscaping fabric. The Park Avenue PTO will be donating benches for the garden's sitting area. United Way Northern Fairfield County Community Council Member Gigi Christel was actively involved in the planning and construction of the garden and facilitated a donation of starter plants from the Ridgefield Garden Club. Agway of Danbury and New Milford donated plants and discount on building materials.

Park Avenue Elementary School Principal David Krafick also dedicated many hours to the project. “Building the garden has been a great opportunity to meet and mingle with more parents and work on something fun with the kids,” Principal Krafick said. “The garden can now be used as part of the school curriculum, and will continue to be a gathering place for families.”

If you are interested in getting involved in the Park Avenue Community Garden project, please contact Caroline LaFleur at United Way of Western Connecticut at (203) 297-6307 or caroline.lafleur@uwwesternct.org.