This project will provide fun outdoor activities for senior citizens utilizes the adult day care in the City of Uniontown. The project will also give the students at the Marion Elementary School a fun outdoor activity where they can learn how to grow their own food and learn about plant science. The total cost of this project was $7,169.79 but the benefit of this project is priceless and will last for years.
2018
Mill Village Community Garden & Food Park
Grow Selma is a program focusing on extra-curricular education at Mill Village Community Garden & Food Park, where getting to know food from start to finish and providing a diverse setting by grouping children from different backgrounds, schools, and neighborhoods at a young age, is the core mission. With our new tractor we will be much more efficient at maintenance and upkeep, and we will be able to teach the children about the benefits of technology, when farming.
ECI Greenhouse Project
Thanks to Ala-Tom RC&D, the ECI Greenhouse project in Washington County has flourished by the way of renovations to improve the greenhouse, educational classes to engage clients, and continuous maintenance. Assorted veggies and flowers including tomatoes, squash, herbs, petunias, and marigolds were purchased for the clients to help raise as well as to assist in nutritional classes with the center. We have been fortunate in the fact that some of the clients have shown interest in our local farmers market and have brought out some of their flowers to the market. Of course when it comes to raising veggies and flowers, you must have all the essential components such as lots and lots of potting soil, fertilizer, and a watering system to keep plants good and hydrated on hot summer days! With the purchase and installation of a watering system, upgrades were made to the ECI green house in an effort to work more efficiently for years to come.
We have purchased garden tools such as trimmers, safety glasses, shovels, watering can, and more in order for the clients at ECI to be able to lend a hand in this educational project. With the purchase of veggies and herbs, several nutrition classes have been conducted with the clients at ECI. The clients are then able to see firsthand the fruits of their labor. We have purchased a few cooking supplies to help with the nutrition classes as well as insect and repellent spray to make it more appealing for all the be involved outdoors. There were a few other garden related tools needed in order to make the project more efficient that we have recently purchased. Some of those being a new wheel barrow to haul potting soil and other supplies, weed eater to keep the green house area safe and presentable, as well as some garden stakes to help the growing process of the plants.
This project has been a learning curve for all involved, but most importantly has brought lasting improvements to the site and engaged many underserved citizens in the community. MANY THANKS goes out to ALA-TOM RC&D for allowing Washington County this opportunity.
Town of Butler Summer Activities
We elected to show a selection of seven movies for our summer activities for 2018. The selection consisted of the movie titles, COCO, WONDER, CAPTAIN AMERICA CIVIC WAR, STAR WARS THE LAST JEDI, PADDINGTON 2, JUMANJI WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, and A WRINKLE IN TIME. These movies were shown at our City Park – Zack Rogers Park and admission was free of charge for all who attended. We purchased the licensing right to each movie from SWANK Motion Pictures, LLC.
Senior Ambassador Program
The Chamber Ambassador program is designed to encourage student participation in public service through assisting the Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce in various projects throughout the year. This program also offers a monetary scholarship in the amount of $250 to eight senior students, specifically two students from each of the county’s four high schools, for their willingness to serve their community.