Interact Club from SGHS create vegetable gardens for Potters Haven
The Interact Club of Springs Girls’ High School (SGHS) visited Potters Haven with Rotarians Geoff and Cheryl Havenga on Saturday, at 8am.
Haven cares for abused and neglected children and babies.
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The aim of the outing was for the girls to layout and plant a vegetable garden with the aim to supply a sustainable source of at least some of the vegetables required to feed the 19 children in their care.
Cheryl explains that the Interactors from SGHS are affiliated to Rotary International as a Rotary Sponsored Club – in this respect, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Springs.
“Interact, like Rotary, is focused on service to the community and to the school,” she says.
“The girls do various community based projects, some by themselves and some with Rotarians.”
Interact is run under Rotary International guidelines and the guidelines laid down by the school, but the girls choose the community based projects they would like to undertake.
“Our outing started with a tour of Potters Haven, during which Marlene Minnie, the founder of Potters Haven, explained to us how the foster home operates.
“She also gave guidelines on how to recognise the signs of abuse and what to do if you come across abuse or have friends who might be abused,” says Cheryl.
• Also read: Potters Haven wins R10 000 at Rotary’s 80th birthday
“We then started on the veggie garden by laying out bricks to support half drums, which would be used as containers in which to plant the seeds.
“Stones for drainage were added to the drums, followed by compost and fertiliser and then, finally, the seeds were planted and watered.
“The girls were given guidance as they went along to understand the reason for each step they took in creating the vegetable garden.
“The Rotary Anns and Rotary members sponsored the compost, fertiliser, seeds and seedlings.
“We also made a hanging herb garden from empty plastic bottles, wire and beads to show that you can recycle just about anything.”
After the work was done, the group made hotdogs for the children at Potters Haven, all of which was sponsored by SGHS girls, and the day ended in some play time with the little ones until the group left at about 2pm.
