(Chelsea Update would like to thank Mary Jo Frank for the information in this story and the Chelsea Senior Center for the photos.)
The Chelsea Area Garden Club (CAGC) will award grants to six nonprofit organizations to support sustainable horticulture-related projects this year.
Recipients are the Chelsea Area Historical Society, Chelsea District Library, Chelsea Farmers Market, Chelsea Senior Center Intergenerational Garden Summer Intern Program, Faith in Action and Waterloo Area Historical Society.
Additionally, a $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Chelsea High School senior in June.
Grants support projects that promote the love of gardening, community beautification, environmentally responsible horticultural practices, and conservation through education and by example.
The club raises money for grants and scholarships and civic beautification through its spring plant sale. The 20th annual plant sale will be held 8 a.m.–noon on May 12 at the Chelsea Community Fairgrounds, 20501 W. Old US-12. Highway 12.
This year’s grant recipients:
The Chelsea Area Historical Society will use the CAGC grant and other funds to install plantings, benches and recognition plaques as part of a major upgrade of the front yard landscaping and gardens at its museum at 128 Jackson St. The society purchased the property, the historic Boyd House, in 2014. The museum is open noon-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and by appointment.
The Chelsea District Library will use its grant to enhance Katie’s Korner, including adding soil amendments, mulch and plantings under existing crab apple trees. Katie’s Korner, at the southwest corner of the library’s property, is a popular venue for Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights and other community and library events.
The Chelsea Farmers Market’s grant will support a children’s booth and gardening activities, including planting seeds, market scavenger hunts, and produce tastings, to increase children’s understanding of where food comes from and encourage them to shop for and grow their own food. The booth will be open 9 a.m.–noon on Saturdays from May-October. More than 180 children participated in the market’s 2017 children’s program.
The Chelsea Senior Center Intergenerational Garden will hire a summer intern to provide leadership and support volunteers during the growing season. Working with children ages 4-13 years attending Camp Gabika, volunteers lead educational activities, including cooking demonstrations and lessons on plant identification, the anatomy of flowers and fruits, and beneficial and harmful garden critters.
The intergenerational garden also provides locally grown produce to seniors weekly, including Meals on Wheels in Chelsea and Manchester, and monthly “Eating the Colors of the Rainbow” cooking classes for seniors.
Faith in Action Chelsea will use its grant to purchase two garden carts and materials to repair the fence at the Chelsea Community Garden (CCG) located off Sibley Road. CCG members will repair the fence. The community garden opened nine years ago and provides a place for people to garden organically.
CCG gardeners donate extra produce to the Faith in Action food pantry. For information about obtaining a CCG garden plot call 734-475-3884.
The Waterloo Area Historical Society will use its grant to install drip irrigation and pavers for rose beds that are part of a recently completed pergola at its farm museum.
The pergola and rose garden will be used for weddings and special events. The museum hosts more than 7,000 visitors a year plus 1,500 school children who participate in its living history program.
Additional information about the 2018 and 2017 grant recipients is on the CAGC website at http://www.chelseagardenclub.com/grants-2/
Bravo. Micro grants in action.