By: Susan Jeffery,
North Pocono Public Library
The North Pocono Public Library Garden Project and our Master Gardener, Judy Coleman were recently honored at the Pennsylvania Master Gardener’s Conference on June 24, 2016. The Garden Project received 2nd place in the Community Service’s Project category. Projects are judged on being simple to replicate, practical, originality and creativity, significant learning impact, and future expectations.
Steve Ward, Master Gardener Coordinator in Lackawanna County, and Judy Coleman
If you haven’t stopped by to see the garden at the North Pocono Public Library, you are truly missing out on something special.
The raised bed garden established in 2015 by a dedicated group of volunteers has exceeded our expectations! In 2015, two of the garden volunteers, Judy Coleman and Rich Rava, represented the group at the Pennsylvania Library Association to receive the Pennsylvania Citizen’s for Better Library’s “Citizen of the Year Award,” for their dedication in making the garden a huge success!
The garden harvested over 400 pounds of vegetables that were shared with the North Pocono Food Pantry in 2015.
Rich Rava (left), Sue Solarczyk (presented the PCBL award), and Judy Coleman
The volunteer group conducted two gardening classes at the library this spring, and recently expanded the garden to include a perennial strawberry bed. The group is continuing the “How Does Your Garden Grow?” program that reaches out to children during the summer reading program with a special learning program every Wednesday that includes a song, story and a visit to the garden.
