Saying Goodbye

As these little hands grow, may they never forget the warmth of the soil and the magic that it holds.

The Garden at BCHMCPS is a culmination of so many wonderful people's dreams and visions.  As I was called upon by those in the community to become the project coordinator of such a large project, I never would have envisioned moving on from the school and feeling as though I have left behind a huge part of my being.

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who was such a huge part of the garden's beginnings and successes.  We should all feel very proud of what we accomplished together.  Thank you so much to the numerous parent volunteers, school staff, students, Nan Ingraham, Diana Sherburne, Traci Wyse, retired school principal Ken Keenan, Beth Anne Allen and Mr. Tony Lacina.  Thank you to the Hyannis Youth and Community Center.  Thank you to the Mid-Cape Farmer's Market.  I would also like to thank Pine Harbor Sheds, Reliable Fence, Home Depot, Country Garden, Cape Cod Organic Farm and the Gangemi family for their generosity.

During our first two years we accomplished so much to be proud of:
We met and designed the garden.
We raised necessary funding to start the garden.
We planted seedlings in the classroom.
We constructed over 30 raised beds.
We created wood chipped pathways.
We planted 30 blueberry bushes with the school's students.
We organized an entire school planting day in the spring.
We had guest chickens help us to organically eradicate termites found in the garden.
Kindergartner's participated in a garden exploration morning.
We constructed a custom built storage shed for all the garden supplies.
We acquired all supplies necessary to tend to a garden.
We developed lesson plans.
We ran two enrichment clusters in the school.
We built a worm composter.
We supplemented the school meals with organic vegetables, herbs and fruits grown in the garden.
We donated much needed excess produce to the Noah Shelter of Hyannis.
We donated student created artwork to the Friend's of BCHMCPS auction.
We set up picnic tables in the garden for outdoor lessons and exploration.
We started a composting program in the garden with three compost bins.
We kicked off our Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds lecture series.
We created a blueprint binder with all work to date accomplished and future direction/goals.
We obtained the Enoch Cobb Grant with the help of our new school principal, Marilee Cantelmo.

As the school year began to wind down, a new garden team was formed to take over the ground work that we had laid.  Much of our work is planned to be continued and new programs and ideas will blossom as the garden is handed over to its newest group of caretakers.  I am so very proud to know that the garden will continue to grow in so very many ways, growing into classrooms, the community and mostly of all, growing in peoples' hearts as it has in mine.

Thank you everyone for giving me so many memories that I will cherish always.

~Melissa Caughey,  Project Coordinator 2010-2012.