US (OR): AHS Greenhouse receives help from Team Depot

Team Depot, an employee volunteer group from Home Depot, came to Astoria High School (OR) last week to renovate its greenhouse. As a collaborative project, named Fresh Starts, between AHS, Home Depot and Clatsop County Master Gardeners Association, each group contributed a portion of the expense for materials.

The greenhouse’s plywood shelves and tables had become a hazard for students working in the area and would not hold the many plants that needed to be stored. Team Depot, led by captain Lee Dohaniuk, added wall-to-wall shelving with three to four shelves on each unit. They built a large workstation table for students to have space when learning gardening techniques.

Master Gardeners teach basic gardening techniques to the Youth Transition Program students and general education students who have an interest in leadership, business and horticulture. In exchange, AHS offers space in the 18-by-30-foot greenhouse for the Master Gardeners to store plants in preparation for their spring garden seminar in April.

The AHS greenhouse is managed by Renia Ydstie, an instructor for the Youth Transition Program. Master Gardeners works with her and the students to grow plants for the students’ culinary garden and their fundraising project in the early summer. The funds raised are used to purchase more greenhouse supplies (seeds, soil, fertilizer, containers) and support the AHS Pennies for Peace Dreams fundraiser.

Source: dailyastorian.com