Ladysmith Sparks got a lesson in giving and growing last week.
In conjunction with Pitch-In Week, which kicked off yesterday, the girls planted fruit-bearing trees and blueberry bushes at St. John’s Anglican Church with their parents on April 17.
Funding for the project came from a $500 TD Bank tree planting grant that was received through the Girl Guides of Canada.
Kay St. Denis, unit leader for the First Ladysmith Sparks, said the six apple and pear trees and blueberry bushes will serve a multitude of purposes.
“It was a way to say thank you to the church and give back, to help with the landscaping,” she said. “We decided to go with fruit trees as opposed to something ornamental so we could give back to the community and connect to the food bank as well.”
The church has provided a place for the Girl Guides to hold their meetings for several years.
“They’ve always welcomed us with open arms,” St. Denis said. “It’s wonderful for us.”
The Sparks range in age from kindergarten to Grade 1. After receiving a brief lesson on planting, they went to work in the rain to get the trees and bushes in the ground.
“They seemed pretty excited about the whole thing — they’re a wonderful group of girls this year; they’re very eager to be involved,” St. Denis said.
The Girl Guides program offers young girls a chance to discover and build upon their natural talents while reaching out to their community.
“I think Girl Guides is about building community, and we’re very happy that there are so many individuals who have supported us in that,” St. Denis said.