Over Thanksgiving break, 12-year-old Preston Canter pulled a team together to clean up and remodel the garden at Redstone Elementary School.
The work of charity was part of Canter’s Eagle Scout project.
According to information provided by Canter’s mom, Chris Canter, over the last 10 years, the school’s garden had been neglected and fallen into disrepair.
Canter, along with a team, worked to completely renovate the garden, which included removing broken items, trimming bushes and trees, repairing and repainting the fence, repairing and repainting broken benches, replacing garden signs, fixing broken chicken wire, capping and adding soil to garden beds, and adding a new layer of mulch.
Canter also took unused cinder blocks and repurposed them, building a pumpkin patch that will be used to welcome incoming kindergartners, and reorganized the space so that teachers can use it for an outdoor learning area.
To make the project possible, Canter teamed up with several local companies, including Waste Connections, Home Depot, Benjamin Moore, Pioneer Landscaping and Community Painting Specialists.
In total, Canter raised $2,800 in donated goods and services, and another $1,800 from family, friends and neighbors.
A total of 43 volunteers donated 254 hours of time to the project.