DANVILLE — What started as a dream has become a reality. The children at Danville Elementary school have created a garden. Although still a work in progress, the garden is open for viewing and was dedicated on May 27.
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Located at the back of the playground, the garden boasts vegetable plots and an herb garden — and flowers, of course. The industrial technology class built a platform for a stage in one corner and the local Boy Scout troop built a shed to collect rainwater to be used to give the thirsty plants a drink.
While the garden was created to honor nature and serve as an outdoor learning space, two areas are very special to Danville pupils, past and present. One, the Robison Buckeye Tree, was named in honor of retired fifth-grade teacher Karen Robison, who was present at the dedication. An avid Ohio State fan, Robison taught for 36 years before retiring in 2009. Knowing her love for the Buckeyes, the high school jazz band played the OSU fight song at the dedication ceremony, and students in grades three through six wore scarlet and/or gray.
The second special space, the Rowley Butterfly Garden, was named to pay homage to retiree Linda Rowley, a 34-year veteran of Danville kindergarten classes, who was also on hand for the event. Kindergarten pupils sang “Dear Hearts and Gentle People,” and first-graders released butterflies they had nurtured in the classroom. They also presented potted plants to the two honorees.
To round out the formalities, several second-graders read poems they had written to commemorate the garden’s official opening.
As the children left the garden, their former students and colleagues greeted and embraced the two teachers.
The women were overwhelmed with the accolades of the pupils and impressed with the garden.
“This garden is much more than I had imagined,” Rowley said. “It’s wonderful. They knew butterflies are a passion of mine and they added a butterfly area.”
“I love it,” was Robison’s comment. “I love that they are recycling the rain. With this garden they are putting all of their learning to use. It’s great.”
Partly funded by a Learn and Serve grant through the Knox County Educational Service Center, which also paid for the fencing, community donations of time, money and materials helped to make the garden possible. Materials for the picnic table and stage were donated, as were the mulch and excavating work.
Individuals who helped make the garden happen include students and teachers, kindergarten through grade six; the National Honor Society; Boy Scout Troop 344; Industrial Arts class; Danville Maintence Department; Miller’s True Value; County Furniture; Knox County Plumbing; Knox County Educational Service Center; Edsel’s Excavating; Small’s Sand and Gravel; Damien Davis; and many volunteers.
