To The Editor:

Due to some incredibly hard-working volunteers and local businesses, the community planting project in front of the Sandy Hook School last Saturday was a huge success. After 4 weekends of weeding and bed preparation, we were able to plant and mulch 2/3 of the extensive garden in one day, creating a native plant pollinator and bio-swale in keeping with the original design intent.

I wanted to especially thank the following volunteers and donors for their support. From the very beginning and until the very end, Cathleen Donoghue showed up to help with the daunting task of weed removal and planting. Further, Gary Donoghue and his company, EC Framing had three employees come from New York on Saturday morning to offer more hands. The Donoghue kids also jumped in to help throughout the last few weekends. John Giglio from Giglio Landscapes showed up from the very beginning to lend a hand and offer his professional support. Additionally, Cathy D’Aniello and Katie Beliveau helped with the weed removal portion of the project. Girl Scout troop 50837 along with their families helped make quick work of the planting along with the Tafuto and Holko families.

The following vendors and organizations donated plants that helped us fill up to 2/3 of the expansive garden space which reduces the other plants needed to purchase.

Planters Choice Wholesale Nursery was generous with their donation of local ecotype pollinator plants, along with Highstead Arboretum in Redding. North Creek Nurseries provided several trays of pollinator plants as well. The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary and the Newtown Protect Our Pollinators also donated some native plants to help fill the beds. To help keep the weeds in check, Lenahan Land Clearing donated some mulch for the garden beds. And for the folks who donated hoses and timers to help keep the garden irrigated, thank you!

A big thank you to John Vouros for his support and for bringing awareness of the importance of this project to the community. Lastly, thank you to Kathy Gombos and Ann Uberti for lending their support and trust to get this project underway.

We are planning to have one last push in the next few weeks to finish the planting and a small amount of weed removal. We look forward to seeing the garden thrive and it being a welcome sight and bringing joy for all who enter the school for years to come.

It was an incredible effort and at times a huge lift, but I am incredibly grateful for those who offered gardening help and willingness to roll up their sleeves and get a little dirt on their hands. To learn more about the project and on-going efforts, please call 203-515-8623.

Dan Holmes

Newtown