Catholic Multicultural Center plans a community rain garden

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The UW Arboretum has an established and successful program called Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS).  They help schools around the country build restorations of native communities, and then incorporate those natural plantings into their lessons.

Now the EAP has a new grant to expand their program to include other cultures and languages.  Maria Moreno. who is leading this new program, said they are beginning to work with Community Centers, because that's where you reach Latin Americans.

Recently, I learned that the Catholic Multicultural Center(CMC) is planning to involve their community in building a rain garden on the Center's grounds.

Numbers show potential community rain garden sites.

The first public meeting will be on  Nov. 12, 6-7 pm, at 1862 Beld St. (If you want to attend, contact Laura Green at 441-1180 (volunteer@cmctoday.org).

Laura is planing educational programs related to the garden once a month over the winter, with "construction day" on May 14.  They hope to make construction day a "community event," with activities, including speakers and a dance group.  They hope to create a "ripple effect--the rain garden will be one activity helping to foster pride in the neighborhood.

Your organization or business can help

Laura is hoping that many organizations and businesses can help.  Early commitments of support can help the CMC expand their plans, to make the project an example of how an organization can improve their stormwater management, to improve the health of our lakes.

Laura Green, Antonio, Steve Glass, and I talked about the potential for creating a "ripple effect" by creating pride in the community.

One possibility is to offer three free plants to volunteers to help construct the rain garden.   Those volunteers would take the plants home to build a "mini rain garden" at the end of their downspout.

To provide incentive, the CMC would conduct a raffle--all volunteers with a "mini garden" would be entered in the raffle.  The winner would receive a valuable gift certificate from a local business.

Two potential sites for the community rain garden are shown here.  The above photo is the current top choice, since it's visible from the dining area.

However, this location might be better, since it receives more runoff, and is more visible to the community.