Rockton's Gardening Club and Church Unveil New Community Garden

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ROCKTON, Ill. (WIFR) — The Roscoe Gardening Club has joined forces with the Rockton United Methodist Church to initiate a community garden project on their property located at 102 W. Chapel St. in Rockton.

“We want to reach out to the community and let them know that God’s love comes in a lot of ways, it doesn’t have to be sitting an hour on Sunday, it can be a lot of other things,” Rockton United Methodist Church outreach and fundraiser coordinator David Wellen said.

The garden will cultivate fresh vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. These produce items will assist the church’s congregation in providing food for families in need.

“Wellen stated, ‘We are committed to being an integral part of the community and dedicated to serving it.’”

As stated, the Roscoe Gardening Club mentioned that the produce from the harvests will also be shared with nearby food banks and individuals "struggling with food security."

I'm thrilled," stated Renee Mealey, the president of the Roscoe Gardening Club. "I believe this initiative will be highly successful and ideally, we can expand our reach to other areas, setting up more community gardens.

Mealey states that this initiative became feasible due to contributions from the local community. The Roscoe Gardening Club obtained $2,250 in donations from Slabaugh Services located in Machesney Park, encompassing the soil placed within the garden beds. Additionally, they got a $1,000 contribution from an unnamed benefactor specifically for the four planting areas.

Members of the Roscoe Gardening Club will host the inaugural planting session at the community garden on May 15. This event is complimentary and accessible to everyone.

“Engaging with the community has become particularly crucial nowadays, as our society faces significant divisions,” Mealey stated. “My aim is for this initiative to help heal rifts within the neighborhood.”

For more details about the community garden and instructions on how to join, visit the website of the Roscoe Gardening Club. website and Facebook page.