Featured Grant Stories

GROW La Crosse Pollinator Patch

March 12, 2019

Jamie Schloegel, Chief Executive OfficerBy Jamie Schloegel, Chief Executive Officer

GROW La Crosse received a $5,000 grant in 2018 to help fund a new pollinator patch at Hamilton/SOTA I Elementary School in La Crosse and scholarships to farm camp. The project improved children’s ownership and belonging to their school gardens and farm camp. It also provided rich outdoor experiences which are linked to healthier lifestyles and a greater connection to nature.

Shiloh (pictured far right), a 4th grade student at SOTA I at the time of the project, had the following to share about her experience building the patch:

“In our club I learned about how to communicate with others and to share my ideas. Planting flowers, teamwork, to use power tools are some skills I practiced in the planning and building process.

My favorite part was when we got to plant flowers and I felt that I was helping build a better environment and I was overfilled with joy when I digged up the dirt to plant the seeds.”