School Landscaping Service Project

At the beginning of this year one of our Pack Moms, Ellen Shelden, saw a need for a landscaping improvement at our school.  Actually I think we all saw the need, but Ellen actually took an idea and ran with it.  She and Alison Kruse coordinated a service project for our Pack to be involved with.  Ellen did months of communicating with our school principal and with the district in order to even get permission to begin.  She wanted to start a gardening program at our school and she wanted it to start with beautifying the front of our school.  Ellen has even enlisted one of our second grade teachers to head the program with the students during the school year.  Alison got Iddings to donate a few truckloads of compost and our scout dads picked it up and hauled it on the actual project day.  We didn't have a great showing of volunteers for the project because of conflicting summer vacations, but the volunteers that did show up worked extremely hard and did an awesome job!  My family was among the many who were out of town on vacation during this service project (we were there in spirit though), but a BIG thanks goes out to the Shelden family, the Kruse family, the McDaniel family, the Keane family, and the Montry family  (I hope I'm not missing anyone)!  Thank you also to Jane McDaniel for documenting the day with these photos!

This is the first phase of the improvement project.  It was all about clearing out weeds and virtually dead plants and then prepping and letting the compost sit and stew and do its magic.  The work was more difficult than originally anticipated.  A big thank you goes out to all of the Dads (and moms) that helped out.  We really needed their muscle power!

Skyler and Matthew attempting to move a boulder.

Jeff Kruse and John Shelden clearing the last of the compost out of the truck.

Skyler, Lucas Montry, and Matthew at the beginning of the project.

I wish I had the BEFORE photo so you could see the HUGE improvement in the AFTER picture.  The next phase will take place in mid to late October.  We will be planting native, drought tolerant plants that are going to be donated by the Maple Valley Arboretum (thanks to Ellen for procuring!).  We envision this area with bird feeders, stepping stones, and maybe a bench or two.  I must also mention a really big thank you to my Master Gardener friend, Stacy Lynam, who is helping us with garden design and plant selection.  She has been an invaluable help so far!