Outside of the upper parking lot there is a beautiful garden full of lush, fresh vegetables and plants. I know I’ve admired it many times as I’ve walked past. But where did it come from? And who takes care of it?

I talked to Interact Advisor Mr. Wirsbinski for some answers. The garden, fittingly called the “giving garden” started in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Spring of 2020. “There were three students: Emily Wong, Katie Wong, and Rachel Wilson…they’re the three that came up with the idea.” They wanted to make a difference in the community as the pandemic raged on. However, it was not possible to meet indoors. In response to this, they came up with the garden because it allowed for all outdoor meetings. Wirsbinski remarked that the idea was proposed in 2020, but the garden was actually built in 2021.

“They wanted a project that would help others,” Wirsbinski stated. All of the food that is meticulously grown and harvested is donated directly to The Open Door, a local food shelf. The impact is staggering: last summer alone they produced over two hundred pounds of fresh produce to give back to the community.

You may be wondering, how are they able to produce so much food? There is a dedicated group of Interact Club students who oversee the planting and maintenance process. During the planting process last Spring they added grow lights and a watering system to ensure the quality growth of the plants. While planting is a rigorous task, the weeding is the hardest part of garden upkeep because it is a much more frequent task. 

It is truly amazing how much of a difference Interact Club has made with its garden. Wirsbinski remarked that the club mantra is “where ideas go to live.” This idea has not only lived, but flourished. We can’t wait to see how much of an impact the garden makes this upcoming Spring.