Boys & Girls Club of Chester Cultivates First Prize in Master Gardeners Contest

Photo Caption: Ayana Johnson, who participated in the Boys & Girls Club of Chester summer camp, proudly displays freshly harvested vegetables from the award-winning garden.

The garden at the Boys & Girls Club of Chester has yielded a bumper crop of fruit and vegetables this year. Now, the soil has produced something else – a first place prize in the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners Program Garden Contest.

The Boys & Girls Club took top prize in Delaware County in the Youth Garden category, and the children from the club will receive recognition for their accomplishment at the 10^th Annual Master Gardeners’ Fall Fest on September 28 at Smedley Park in Springfield, Pa.

According to Chuck McLaughlin, who served as an advisor to the children who worked the garden, the award was a complete surprise considering it was the first year that the Master Gardeners became involved with the garden.

“These young gardeners should be very proud of their accomplishment,” McLaughlin said. “It’s the kids’ garden. I just advise them. They’re fun to work with.” 

The children planted, cultivated and harvested eight raised-bed gardens of string beans, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, cantaloupe, potatoes, kale, watermelon, and a slew of other fruit and vegetables. They also collected rainwater for the gardens and made their own compost for the plants.

“It’s a very efficient garden, and the try to keep it as organic as possible,” McLaughlin said. “They harvested an enormous amount of vegetables from the garden this year. That’s important, especially in an urban area where we want to make people aware of good nutrition.”

Up to 15 children from the club worked the garden throughout the spring and summer, and they were allowed to take home what they harvested for their own dinner tables. Because of the size of the crop, there was plenty left for donation to organizations such as the Bernadine Center in Chester.

McLaughlin and the Boys & Girls Club already have big plans for the future. The club has launched a brick campaign to raise money for the club. The community is invited to order 4” x 8” bricks for a tax deductable donation of $120 each. The bricks will be engraved with the names of those who support the club. The brick pathway will surround the garden and play area at the club. To order a brick, visit www.bricksrus.com/order/boysgirlsclubofchester.

The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Chester is to mentor the creative and wholesome development of every young person along the path to becoming informed and responsible citizens of the future. The vision is to guide the success of our youth by providing a dynamic environment that supports graduating from high school with a plan for their future, demonstrating good character and wholesome citizenship, and leading a healthy lifestyle.