Crestview Elementary School Garden

Kevin and Megan Clary work long hours as physicians getting few days a month to pursue other activities. You would think this young couple would seek out leisurely restful pursuits with their time off. But on their non-work days and evenings you will find Kevin and Megan at the Crestview Elementary School working in the school yard garden that they helped create earlier this year.

Kevin and Megan, both avid gardeners and champions of good nutrition for children, were looking for a way to give back to their community and found that opportunity in partnership with BRAG, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Lowes, and Crestview Elementary School. Enthusiastically supported by school principal Thom Linkmeyer who told me he supported the project because it was "good for his students", groundbreaking took place early this spring and now the organic garden and outdoor classroom is thriving with beautiful plants. Summer school students are helping with the garden activities but an additional benefit to the community has been that the garden has attracted many neighborhood children who have curiously wandered over and, caught up in the enthusiastic energy of Kevin and Megan, have stayed to help weed, mulch, and do other gardening chores.

I visited the garden a few weeks ago and was inspired by the dedication of everyone involved and the beauty of the garden itself. It is a warm and welcoming space.

Want to help this ambitious project? Most of the garden items have been donated-- including wooden pallets that Kevin turned into wonderful compost bins. They are on the lookout for additional items including hand tools (such as rakes and shovels) and new or used lumber. Also donations of cash for seeds, plants and educational materials are being sought out through the 501(c)(3) organization that has been set up to help finance the project. Kevin's hoping that someone will have a garden shed to donate so they can house the tools during the winter. And, as the crop of weeds continues to thrive, volunteer workers are always welcome.

To find out more about the garden, contact Kevin at kclary@iupui.edu . 

Photos: (1) Kevin and Crestview student Madison Linkmeyer check out the onion planting.
(2) Megan and Kevin harvest the first zucchini.
(3) The garden in bloom.