STHS Interact Club Harvest the Hanna Hope Garden
The Interact Club, in conjunction with our local chapter of The Susquehanna Township Rotary started a garden project.
Two years ago Diane Lehrman of Our Savior Church on Progress Avenue contacted Mrs. Tracy (Faculty Advisor to Interact Club) to discuss an idea for a community project. Ms. Lehrman knew that The Interact Club volunteered at the local Manna Food Pantry. Ms. Lehrman’s community project was based on the assumption that if every church, synagogue or mosque gave up a small piece of their property for a vegetable garden, world hunger would greatly be reduced. The need for fresh and nutritious produce at Manna Food Pantry is paramount. The Interact Club thought about the project and saw an opportunity.
This is the origin of “The Hanna Hope Garden”. The first year the Interact Club planted and harvested only Red Norland Potatoes. The yield was very good; so it was decided to add butternut squash, onions, and kale. Students researched and typed recipes for kale so that people could incorporate the vegetable into their diet.
The garden was harvested on September 11th 2017 to include 70 freezer bags of fresh kale, 95 pounds of squash, 60 pounds of potatoes and 25 pounds of onions. It should be noted that members of the Susquehanna Township Rotary assisted with preparing the plot, fence and weeding. The students worked well together and learned how to wisely use natural resources.