A program providing seeds to grow, soil for planting and tools for tilling so children can learn the science and benefits of gardening was recently awarded a $5,000 grant by the Bluegrass Materials Churchville Quarry to support its ongoing work in education and nutrition.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford County opened the Aberdeen Harvest of Hope Garden in April, just in time for Earth Day. The Churchville quarry grant will support the organization's community garden, learning lab and a year-long curriculum called Operation Grow Green that teaches children about soil testing, water filtration, plant anatomy and other topics. The Harvest of Hope Garden hopes to expand soon with a greenhouse to extend the growing season and an aquaponics station to study fish.
"Healthy food is the path to a healthy life. The Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen is doing incredible work to teach children how to sustain the planet and themselves," Will Bulluck, operations manager for the Maryland Division of Bluegrass Materials, said. "As a local business, we are proud to help the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen support their students and support their community."
"We are grateful to Bluegrass Materials for this inaugural gift in support of the garden," Philip Crocker, board president of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford County and a member of the Churchville Quarry Community Liaison Committee, said. "Our shared vision is to teach our kids and the local community about the magic of the earth, the issues of environmental sustainability and the importance of community and stewardship."
For more than 25 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harford County have been inspiring youth to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Established in 1990 by a group of concerned citizens in the Aberdeen area, the organization now serves more than 6,000 youth per year and operates clubs in Aberdeen, Bel Air, Edgewood, Havre de Grace and Windsor Valley, as well as summer programs at Camp Hidden Valley and the Aberdeen Family Swim Center.
The neighborhood around the Boys and Girls Club of Aberdeen is considered a "food desert," meaning there are few opportunities nearby to buy affordable, healthy food options. The community garden will provide an area for residents to grow healthy vegetables, and the outdoor learning lab also will provide students with educational opportunities for nutrition and physical activity.
The Bluegrass Materials Churchville Quarry Grant program supports community-oriented science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education projects, youth and outdoor recreation programs and community environmental sustainability and enhancement initiatives that support the preservation or beautification of Churchville and greater Harford County.
The Churchville Quarry Community Liaison Committee (CLC), an advisory group to the quarry of neighbors, business leaders and school representatives, evaluated the grant applications. The CLC selected the Aberdeen Club's application as part of a competitive process after reviewing applications from 14 local Harford County programs. This year, the first for the program, two grants are being awarded.
On Calvary Road, the Churchville Quarry has been active since the 1920s. Bluegrass Materials acquired the site in 2014. It produces aggregates for roadways and other construction purposes. Other quarries in the Bluegrass Materials Maryland division are Texas, North East, Marriottsville, Medford, Frederick, Blue Mount, Kent Sand and Gravel, Beaver Creek and Warfordsburg.