Town & Country Garden Club Continues Support of Environmental Education with NC Beautiful Donation

RALEIGH, NC, April 08, 2011 (Press-News.org) NC Beautiful, a provider of environmental education and beautification opportunities that elevate the quality of life of North Carolinians, has announced the contribution of two $1,000 Windows of Opportunity Grants to Durham County educators by Town & Country Garden Club of Durham. Windows of Opportunity Grants reward NC educators for their creativity in fostering environmental stewardship, leadership, and awareness and initiating a sense of community service.

The Windows of Opportunity Grants were created to cultivate an appreciation of natural environments by helping children get out of school and into natural settings. NC Beautiful Executive Director, Steve Vacendak, is grateful for the continued generosity of Town & Country Garden Club and says that he hopes Durham County educators take advantage of this opportunity to connect students with the world around them.

"The next generation of young stewards are well on their way to perpetuating the natural beauty of North Carolina," says Vacendak. "Any visit into our classrooms across the state shows the tremendous amount of time that our teachers are investing in our young citizens. With the kind support of organizations like Town & Country Garden Club, we can help ensure that our educators have the resources they need in order to help this and future generations keep North Carolina beautiful."

Town & Country Garden Club was organized September 19, 1964 and is a member of the Durham Council of Garden Clubs and the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. For the past 47 years, the organization has been productive, interested, and willing to share time and talents for the betterment of their community and state. Through fundraising events, the club has financed many projects and contributions including scholarships for horticulture students at NC State University, the purchase and installation of a cistern (rainwater) collection system at the Durham Farmer's Market, a beautification project at Durham's Community Family Life & Recreation Center at Lyon Park, and a beautification project in Durham's historic Hope Valley neighbor.

Town & Country Garden Club's mission is to encourage interest in and to promote the beautification and enhancement of the environment, to promote the betterment of their community, and to make this commitment by way of membership participation through education, projects, and financial support. Club president, Bonnie McKinney, says that she is proud of the difference that the Windows of Opportunity Grants are allowing her organization to make in the local schools. She says that she was especially pleased with the outcomes of the Grant's 2010 recipients.

"Last year's [Windows of Opportunity] recipients were Southern High School and George Watts Montessori," says McKinney. "We were pleased to receive a notebook with detailed reports of both schools' use of the contribution. It was a delight to see two school gardens arise from the ground with planning and hard work by the students."

With its grant, George Watts Montessori transformed an unused patch of land into a fruit garden paradise for its 400+ grade school students. These students worked hard to prepare the soil, plant raspberries bushes, strawberries, mint, bee balm and prepare the soil for several trees along with an arbor that the parents helped erect. Southern High School students used its grant to plant and cultivate lettuce, kale, swiss chard, cabbage, broccoli, onions, and tomatoes in a newly-built green house, which was provided by its Green Club. The students used the area for many learning experiences such as collecting soil temperature data and comparing temperatures inside and outside of the greenhouse. They participated in harvesting their crop and even sold some produce to staff. They also added a flower component to their garden.

Windows of Opportunity Grants build leadership awareness, develop environmental educational mentors and ambassadors, create materials and resources that can be used by other K-12 students, and develop a sustainable, outdoor program, which will continue well after the grant period ends. For more information, contact Louise Carey at (919) 828-3190 or lcarey@ncbeautiful.org. To learn more about garden clubs in the state of North Carolina, visit http://www.gardenclubofnc.org.

About NC Beautiful
NC Beautiful has been part of the state's environmental preservation community for 40 years, supporting awareness, education and beautification efforts that affect our quality of life. Today, we concentrate on hands-on and merit-based programs designed to empower our citizens to preserve the natural beauty of the state of North Carolina. Whether it's school children building outdoor classrooms, graduate students developing cutting edge research, or a Boy Scout troop planting azaleas at an elder care facility, we make it possible for North Carolinians to keep NC Beautiful. For more information, visit http://www.ncbeautiful.org.

Media Contacts
Steve Vacendak, Executive Director
NC Beautiful
(919) 828-3190
svacendak@ncbeautiful.org

Louise Carey, Programs Manager
NC Beautiful
(919) 828-3190
lcarey@ncbeautiful.org

Bonnie McKinney, President
Town & Country Garden Club
jbmckin@nc.rr.com