Giving back to the community while learning lessons from the land is the inspiration behind a new project launched in early April in Princess Anne, MD.
The UMES Rotaract Club of Rotary International, the Rotary Club of Salisbury, MDCCC AmeriCorps VISTA, the University of Maryland Eastern 
Shore and the Somerset County Local Management Board have all worked together to create to community garden at the Garland Hayward Youth Center in Princess Anne.
Its theme is “Growing More Than Vegetables,” and it’s hoped the Garland Hayward Youth Center Community Garden will inspire all Somerset County residents to build upon what is good in their own communities.
The garden will also serve as a learning lab for students who attend the Youth Center. Both they and their parents will gain “hands on” experience in what it takes to grow a garden, and how important vegetables are in a healthy diet. It will also provide residents a serene place to relax. They, too, will have access to the vegetables grown there.
Rotary Club of Salisbury President-Elect Kurt Schuster, Rotarian Clifton Harcum and AmeriCorps VISTA member McCoy Curtis were very instrumental in helping coordinate the effort to launch the garden and assist in the initial build of the raised beds. UMES Rotaract student Diamond Nwaeze germinated plants and created the garden blueprint and landscape design.
An official ribbon cutting will be held on May 6, which is also a scheduled youth field day at the Garland Hayward Youth Center.
Annually, The Rotary Club of Salisbury channels over $65,000 back into our community through the support of agencies and causes including: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, scholarships for local high school and college students, American Red Cross, Fruitland Fire Department, Christian Shelter, Wicomico County third grade dictionaries, DOPE Project, RYLA, Easter Seals Camp Fairlee, MAC, Inc., Meals on Wheels, Parsons Home, Polio Eradication (Global), Fruitland Community Center, HALO, Destination Imagination, Wicomico County Library, The Salvation Army, Mission of Mercy, the construction of wheel chair ramps and much more.
The Rotary Club of Salisbury meets every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Rotary Scout and Community Center at 1715 Riverside Drive in Salisbury. To learn more about the Rotary Club of Salisbury or to obtain membership information, please contact Membership Chairmen John Aukward at 410-713-2833 or jaukward@bankofdelmarva.com or Mike Zajac at 757-897-5496 or mikezajac08@gmail.com or visit the club’s website at www.rotarysalisbury.org.
