Over the summer, Westmore Elementary School completed the first phase of its new Pollinator Reading Garden.
The new garden was started with the help of Westmore families, as well as many donations and help from local businesses.
The school also received a grant for garden beds from VEGO Garden, an organization that helps make gardening accessible and sustainable and encourages gardening to be an avenue for community development.
Through the grant, Westmore received five large, sustainable, and durable steel beds, which have been an amazing addition to the school.
Westmore 3rd-grade Teacher Jennifer Cook and Kindergarten Teacher Holly Eichholz helped coordinate the garden project at Westmore and shared the idea behind the garden’s name.
“We call it a ‘Reading Garden’ because our long-term vision is that Westmore classes can use this space to sit outside and read when the weather allows,” said Cook.
Cook added that Westmore’s Student Council and Conservation Club hosted two morning events over the summer, during which families could come to Westmore, work together, help establish the new garden, and enjoy summer reading fun.
Families who attended helped build and fill garden beds, plant native plants, and create nature and garden art. They also enjoyed music, books, and refreshments.
The school received several donations from the community, including a monetary donation from the Lombard Women’s Garden Club. This donation helped Westmore purchase the dirt needed for the beds.
Cook said that so far, the garden has been well received by the Westmore community.
“Right now, we have a four-year plan that includes everything from recycling plastics to earn benches for our garden, adding stepping stones, which families could donate, and adding mulch or gravel. In our final year, it will be complete, which will allow students to fully utilize the garden.”