Paxton Garden Club seeks school committee letter of support for community garden grant

Robin Paska, president of the Paxton Garden Club, asked the Wachusett Regional School Committee on Jan. 12 to write a letter of support for a local-bank grant application for a community garden to be located adjacent to Paxton Center School.

Paska described the project as a public space with a greenhouse, raised beds, rain barrels and compost that would also function as a hands-on learning resource for Paxton Center School students in kindergarten through eighth grade. She said art students would contribute to a mural on a shed to help build pride in the space and noted the Garden Club had letters of support from the Paxton Economic Development Committee chair and State Rep. Ferguson.

"A letter from Wachusett Regional School Committee is especially meaningful because it helps the grant funder see that this community garden demonstrates an educational value of the project and highlights the strengths and partnership between the school and the wider community," Paska said.

Member Amber Runstrom moved to authorize the chair to write a letter supporting the garden. Members and administrators discussed whether formal authorization was required that evening; the committee agreed to handle the authorization at the next meeting after an email reminder to the chair.

Administration said the project is not on school property and requested no funding from the district; members asked the petitioner to provide additional information and a proposed timeline to ensure timely submission of the grant application.