6th Graders Help Out Habitat

By: Janelle Baldwin, 6th Grade

On Tuesday, April 28, ECMS’ sixth grade went to work with Paterson Habitat for Humanity! They did this as part of their M.A.D. project. It was an anticipating event; the sixth grade has been doing other things for Habitat, such as making baskets for new homeowners, making bookmarks for their worldwide organization, painting window coverings, and more! But on April 28, they got to go see a homeowner, and help start a garden in their yard or backyard.

First, they got on a bus and went to a place in Paterson, where they met some people from Habitat. Once explained, the sixth graders got shovels and buckets. Then they dug up fresh soil donated by Ken Steenstra Lawn and Landscape for the gardens, and loaded the buckets, which people holding the buckets used to fill up 3 pickup trucks. After that job was done, the sixth grade split up into 3 different groups, and got dropped off at the house they were going to work at. There was a pickup truck with shovels and some of the soil for each group.

When they came to their stop, the sixth graders and their leaders got off of the bus, and met the homeowners they were going to help out. Then the homeowners decided where they wanted the garden to go. Once the place was chosen, some of the sixth graders took the wooden bed for the garden, and placed it in position. Some of us even built the beds! (Thanks, Kuiken Brothers!)  After that, the sixth graders and their leaders were hard at work! Digging up the area within the bed, putting the tarp down, and dumping the new soil into the secured bed.

It was a fun and sweaty field trip! In the end, the sixth grade was glad that they got to help. Now, the homeowners that the sixth grade helped, can start a garden! Whether filled with fruits and veggies, or flowers and other decorative plants, it will hopefully always stay a blessing for that family. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, and the ECMS sixth graders, they can grow their soon to be, beautiful garden!

… so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…

Colossians 1:10, NIV