The Children's Committee and their Grand Plan for the Secret Garden

>On Friday, July 30, 2010, the newly formed Children's Committee presented their ideas to Executive director, Debby Yoder, as well as several other staff members at the Community Arts Center. Founded by campers of Session Four at Summer Spree including Brooke DiPietro, Kaelyn Cooper, Ella Kane, Andrew Spangler and Sarah Spangler, the Children's Committee were recently inspired with several creative ideas while expanding on the Secret Garden with Summer Spree fellow, Nancy Long. 

[ The Children's Committee; from left to right: Ella, Kaelyn, Andrew and Sarah ]

The Children's Committee presented their plans, which included an Introduction by Andrew Spangler, an explanation on creating a Storytelling area, as well as details on installing a fountain and birdbath by Kaelyn, Ella, and Sarah. In addition, the committee discussed the birdbath and fountain being run by solar energy and will soon be talking with solar energy providers in order to make this Secret Garden the greenest it can possible be.  Furthermore, the Children's Committee discussed this Grand plan as a long-term project; at the end of Summer Spree 2010, the CAC will issue an invitation to all children who took part in this year's program to join the CAC Children's Committee. They proposed this committee to meet the second Saturday of every month from 10 a.m until noon. There will be no cost to members of this group, but children must register to participate.

[Andrew explains his vision of expanding the Secret Garden ]

[Ella and Kaelyn present on installing a fountain and birdbath ]

[ Ella shares a model of the storytelling area of the Secret Garden (designed by Kaelyn) with Mr. Carpenter, a supportive funder of the CAC ]

[ Kaelyn and Ella ]

Thereafter, the Children's Committee led the meeting on a tour of the Secret Garden. 

 The Children's Committee will consider other ways this group can be part of the Community Arts Center, including developing a plan to sell children's art at the Art Center's Holiday Sale to raise funds in support of their projects. The unveiling and completed Grand plan for the Secret Garden is currently set for Saturday, June 11th, 2011, and will feature a tea party in the garden. 

[ Ella and her sister share their projects with their Mom by the Secret Garden ]

It is very exciting to see these wonderful ideas that were just inspirationally sparked last week (see Path Cleared, Flowers Planted; Bring on the Birds! for original sketch of initial ideas by Andrew Spangler) being developed and executed into a reality by our very own campers. We are all looking forward to seeing the progress over the next few months. Just this week, the Secret Garden will be expanded on further with Session five's featured Tile Workshop with Bob Deane, as campers will be creating their own tiles and helping to create an archway within the Secret Garden (see Digging with Bob Deane).