Sen. Aument Takes Tour, Awards Citation

New Holland Early Learning Center (NHELC), an institution providing child care as a ministry of New Holland Mennonite Church for more than 40 years, recently received a $10,000 Farm to School Grant to be used for the organization's Sprouts for Peace Garden - actually two gardens flourishing at the church, 18 Western Ave., New Holland.

State Sen. Ryan Aument, who has been involved in the grant program, visited NHELC on July 29, where he toured the gardens, observed a gardening class taught by Master Gardener Amanda Dise, enjoyed dirt dessert with a class of children, and presented a citation to NHELC director Wanda Bortzel, congratulating the organization on its history and achievements.

Dawn Ranck-Hower, pastor at the church, led the tour of the gardens, explaining that church member Ray Hurst suggested the garden a few years ago when he and his wife began attending. Hurst, who had experience running a garden at a previous church, spoke to Ranck-Hower, and she turned to the church property committee. "They said, 'Of course,'" recalled Ranck-Hower, who added, "The DNA of this church is that when you have something, you share it." Ranck-Hower explained to Aument; Tina Thompson, outreach director for the senator; and Kimberly Early, director of public policy and advocacy for the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, that the children recently picked and husked corn in the morning before enjoying it for lunch. The children receive breakfast, lunch, and two snacks each day at the center.

Food is raised first for use by NHELC and NHELC families and then shared with the community via the CrossNet Ministries Food and Nutrition Center. Volunteers meet on Tuesday evenings to tend the garden, and clients of Revelations of Freedom Ministries help complete heavy work like digging potatoes. Last year, more than 10,000 pounds of food were raised in the two gardens.

Aument toured inside the building, visiting classrooms and the newly remodeled kitchen, which has done double duty sanitizing toys during the last several months.

In the garden located near the church entrance, Dise and fellow Master Gardener Kathy Bomberger hold classes with some of the approximately 100 children who attend NHELC. On the day of Aument's visit, Dise discussed weather, rainfall, and insects with the children and reviewed the elements a garden needs to grow, including sun, soil, and water. One of the children pulled a beet from the earth at her instruction, and the class ended with Dise reading the book "Wonderful Worms" and telling the children about the earthworms and their love of wet dirt. The group then adjourned to their classroom to make dirt dessert with pudding and crumbled chocolate cookies.

Following the dirt dessert, Aument presented Bortzel with the citation from the Pennsylvania Senate and congratulated her on the decades of service NHELC has provided to the local community and beyond.

Readers who would like to know more about the Sprouts for Peace Garden may visit http://www.newhollandmc.org.