Suburban Cares digs in with Children’s Beach House for Earth Day
Celebrating Earth Day 2022, volunteers with Suburban Cares, Suburban Propane’s service division, and children from Children’s Beach House teamed up to plant fruits and vegetables outside the iconic Lewes Beach building May 4.
A total of 26 students are enrolled in the Children’s Beach House’ 3- and 4 year-old preschool class, and all were excited to put into dirt the plants they started caring for as seeds.
“They got to see the process all the way from putting the seeds into the planters and then obviously seeing them today,” said Children’s Beach House chef Paula Baker. “Once we get something that we can harvest, we’ll bring them back out and they can harvest the things and try them.”
Going into the ground were plants that will produce tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and squash. Deer may also be interested in the plants, so students also planted marigolds that emit an unpleasant smell for deer. Baker also installed motion-sensor sprinklers to keep does off their door. All in all, more than 100 plants found a new home just outside Children’s Beach House.
Once each group was done planting, students got a chance to sit in the driver’s seat of one of the Suburban Propane trucks, with some giving a few toots on the horn. Some kids liked the horn more than others. In addition to volunteer efforts and providing a touch-a-truck experience, Suburban Propane also provided a monetary donation to the Children’s Beach House.
For more information about Children’s Beach House, go to cbhinc.org. For information on Suburban Cares, go to suburbanpropane.com.
![Brent Stubbs of Suburban Cares talks to Children’s Beach House’ students Theo Ostah, Christian Rogers, Fiona Dunne and Mackenzie Mallon as Heather O’Connor prepares the garden bed for digging.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/05/field/image/IMG_2230.jpg)
![Harrison Curatolo, Alannah Dunne, Gus Jones, Fiona Dunne, Haley Stitik, Charlotte Roach, Theo Ostah, Mackenzie Mallon, Aminah White and Christian Rogers work the soil in their half of the garden. Suburban Cares Stephanie Houseman and Children’s Beach House Paula Baker look over the gardening.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/05/field/image/IMG_2267.jpg)
![Christian Rogers had no fear in gathering the compost to provide the plants with the nutrients needed for healthy growth.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/05/field/image/IMG_2305.jpg)
![Alexis Gross begins digging into her spot in the garden bed while Owen wonders what more his plant needs.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/05/field/image/IMG_2308.jpg)
![Tim, left, listens to Heather O’Connor’s instructions while Sullivan Smale scoops up as much dirt as his hand shovel can hold.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/05/field/image/IMG_2315.jpg)