Schools and a food bank are the recipients of grants from the Community Garden Club of Camas/Washougal, with the mission to encourage community involvement along with the love for gardening

Schools and a food bank have been named recipients for Garden Grants, courtesy of the Community Garden Club of Camas/Washougal.

The CGCCW has an annual grant program for the Camas and Washougal communities, with the mission to inspire responsible stewardship of the environment, stimulate knowledge, love of gardening, and to encourage community involvement. 

The recipients for the 2024/25 year are:

• Prune Hill Elementary to purchase gardening books for its library.
• Hayes Freedom High School for materials and tools to repair and use raised garden beds.
• Odyssey Middle School for materials and tools for existing raised garden beds.
• Skyridge Middle School to purchase gardening books for its library.
• Camas High School for materials and tools to build raised garden beds.
• Canyon Creek Middle School for tools and equipment to use for gardening.
• Opus School of the Arts for materials and equipment to create a garden for public use.
• Treasure House Food Bank, a donation to be used for the weekend backpack program for school children.

A couple of highlights

The Opus School of the Arts is introducing the “Opus Artistic Spirit Gardens” at its Camas location at 726 NE 2nd Ave., in partnership with CGCCW. 

Together, they are cultivating a space where students, parents, and the community can engage with the art and science of gardening. From ornamental plants to fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, and shrubs, this garden offers a hand-on opportunity for growth and learning. The public is invited to witness the progress, appreciate the beauty, and maybe even pick up a gardening tip or two.

The Treasure House Food Bank provides services to the people in the communities of Camas and Washougal who need additional food and household supplies. The weekend backpack program is specifically for children in the Camas School District who are in need of additional food over the weekend.

The Camas Lions Club and the Rotary Club help prepare the bags of food each week during the school year, which are delivered to each school and distributed to the children in need. 

CGCCW organizers said in a press release that they are proud to support this valuable and important program to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens, our children, are well nourished. A nourished, healthy body is essential in proper learning.

For more information about the Community Garden Club of Camas/Washougal, visit the website at: https://gardenclubofcamaswashougal.org 

The club meets the fourth Wednesday of most months.