Big Creek Lumber reopens school garden grant program
Company now offers garden beds as an annual application process
– Big Creek Lumber has announced that its School Garden Grant Program will return for 2023. This annual program supports student education and grows gardens.
These redwood garden beds provide opportunities for students and teachers to learn about plant biology, discuss how food is grown, and learn about the interaction between plants, water, and sunshine. Students may also be able to assist in the construction of the garden beds.
The main construction material for the garden beds is redwood lumber sourced from local forests and harvested in a sustainable and renewable manner. The garden beds also create an opportunity for teachers to discuss where the products we use come from and the implications of their use.
While Big Creek Lumber has randomly donated hundreds of garden beds to schools and will continue the tradition, it now offers the garden beds as an annual application process.
“Since we’ve started our formal grant program, we have donated over 50 garden bed kits to schools,” Marketing Manager Michelle Webb said, “Experiencing the excitement of the students and staff when we deliver the garden bed kits is the most fulfilling part of my job. These students will get to learn carpentry, math, how to grow food, and about healthy eating through this program. It is an honor to carry on a tradition of donating garden beds to our communities.”
Schools are encouraged to apply every year and recipient schools may apply again two years later.
Applications are available on Big Creek’s website; bigcreeklumber.com. Click “About,” then on the drop-down menu, select “Building our Communities.” Applications can also be picked up at any of Big Creek’s six retail lumber and building supply yards in Atwater, Half Moon Bay, Paso Robles, Santa Cruz, Watsonville, and the newest facility in Vallejo.
Ten garden bed kits will be awarded and delivered to recipient schools. Completed applications must be returned to a Big Creek Lumber yard in person by Monday, Oct. 31. All eligible schools will be entered in a drawing, and two schools will be selected in the vicinity of each yard at random. The kits will be delivered in the early spring so the students can get their gardens planted in time for the full growing season.
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