interact pg 5 3-21-24

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Jordyn Butler, left, and Eric Levesque, co-presidents of the Putnam Rotary Club's Interact Club, present TEEG Executive Director Anne Miller with a Rotary District grant check for $1,000 to help restore TEEG's garden. Linda Lemmon photo.


Interact helping rescue garden
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — “With you guys involved, it feels like it will really get done this time,” TEEG Executive Director Anne Miller told the Putnam Rotary Club’s Interact Club.
The Interact Club decided last year to make the vandalized garden at TEEG its main project. Interact members had already raised some money for garden supplies.
Last week they presented Miller with a $1,000 check from a Rotary district grant they had been awarded.
Roberta Rocchetti, Interact advisor, said she was proud of the club members and this is the first Rotary district grant she’s aware of that the Putnam Interact Club has received.
The grant is earmarked for the fence around the garden. Miller said vandals had wrecked the fence, broken the fence gate and trampled the garden. Varmints have been “enjoying” the plantings ever since. Miller said the total is $9,800 and $8,800 is still needed.
Miller noted the importance of the garden — on many levels. Many of the TEEG programs incorporate that garden. It brings people in to work and to pick, “to have that experience,” she said.
The garden grows herbs, plus tomatoes, peppers, squash, peas, etc. In addition rows of flowers such as zinnias and sunflowers are planted to be picked and sold.
In addition to Interact Miller said schools in the area are really coming together.  “We have some really determined individuals,” Miller said. “It’s time to start meeting to make a plan — get the garden back on its feet.”

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