Jessica Hare filled this space for Keep Alliance Beautiful long before I ever applied for a job at our Keep America Beautiful affiliate. I plucked her columns and others from the newspaper email and filled the page. I cannot attest to the date though I’m certain one or more of her submissions expounded on the Alliance Recreation Center garden.
The garden came to mind recently during a meeting at the recycling center. Kathy Worley, KAB executive director, mentioned that she would be planting marigolds to attract butterflies at the ARC this spring. She explained that Jessica had started the garden and the ARC has continued the practice since she moved away several years ago. Whether for raising vegetables, growing flowers or to accentuate the beauty of your space, gardens transform what could have been an unremarkable tract of land. The ARC’s garden is still impacting dozens of children as they learn outside of school each summer.
The ARC’s executive director, Reve Fries, and Sarah Meyer, childcare director, updated me on plans for 2025. Volunteers Paul and Lori Coryell are back for their fourth season to show summer camp children how to grow a garden – starting with planting at the end of May (delayed a few days by welcome rains). The setting for the beds also speaks to the tenants of KAB with a mural painted by Carnegie Arts Center artists in 2023 to enhance the “beauty” there. Sarah explained that the sign – designed by the kids – is made from recycled bottle caps. An old deck became repurposed for the current fence. Two years ago Beyond School Bells helped fund an irrigation system. The ARC has also bought garden tools for the kids – 72 enrolled this year from five years old by July 31 to children entering the fifth grade.
Tending the garden fits in the daily schedule. “In the morning we’ll take a group of kids and see if any weeds need pulled,” Sarah said, noting they will harvest and serve anything ready to pick later on. Reve added a lot of the harvest is done by the after school program students during the fall after summer camp, such as pumpkins for the kids to decorate. Last year they brought in 159 zucchinis. They especially enjoyed this vegetable since Lori brought it back as zucchini bread. Sarah said they set out the produce they don’t use in the lobby for members and others to take.
Gardening is part of a robust summer program at the ARC. Local partners and presenters offer a unique experience. Kathy will be among the visitors as she shares about how to keep Alliance beautiful. Reve said the children will use cardboard boxes for a “city build” as they envision what Alliance will look like in 2040. Sarah said they take ideas from the classes and vote where to go on field trips.
“(We are) really focused on helping the academic slide decrease (with) a lot of extended learning opportunities,” Reve said. There are 25 children on rate reduction scholarships this year (with $15,900 in scholarships awarded so far). Scholarships will also be available this fall as the ARC steps up to fill the gap left when Alliance Public Schools begins its four-day school week. Reve said, “We will have a Fifth Day program for kids in the fall.”