MEL TOADVINE Painting before plants are put into the ground are these Rangers at Lehigh Elementary School.

You couldn’t ask for a better day. Several students, their teacher and a group of parents, spent the day helping to beautify the grounds at the Lehigh Elementary School.

It’s a school project that the kids have come to enjoy along with their parents and the help of teachers and the group’s name is the Earth Rangers.

The kids come on various Saturdays to plant, prepare the soil, paint cement blocks to form the different rectangular gardens, and more.

This was Nov. l and the day was in the upper 60s and low 70s with a gentle tropical breeze. Not a day to sweat, but one to have fun in the Florida sun

Jared Wallace, of the science teachers at Lehigh Elementary School said he wanted to start an after-school club for students that wanted to learn more about gardening and taking care of their environment. The goal was to prepare the small rectangular gardens, using wooden frame board and/or cement blocks, and plant all types of vegetables, and then learn to keep the garden in perfect shape by pulling the weeds in the gardens and in and around the school in the present areas such as the Butterfly Garden in the middle of the campus off of East Third St.

MEL TOADVINE Taking a breather from working is one of the Rangers, Lucas Farrer.

The idea of Earth Rangers came from Diane Elswick who is also a teacher at the school.

“Basically, the Earth Rangers are a group of students that want to help take care of t heir environment while learning about it and having fun.

“They have started by revamping the gardens at Lehigh Elementary School and are having lots of fun,” Elswick said.

She went on: “But equally important tasks will include such things as beach and community cleanups.”

Word has gotten around the community and several have offered help by way of donations of soil, plants and other items.

Some of the adults that came out on this Saturday morning included in addition to Jared Wallace, Melinda Lynch and Diane Elswick were Tene Carter, Rob Morrison, Christine Amott, Cassie Stanley, Jason Spengler, and Tammy Bryant.

The “Rangers” included students James and Matthew Nehl, Cheyenne Sikes, Devon Goss, Dorian Downs, Fayth and Grace Cater, Jayda and Kayah Bonilla-Mas, Jacob Spengler, Nev and Grace Stanley and Abigail Richiarrdi. They could be found all over the central part of the campus, helping to paint and plant and also some of the adults with trimming some of the shrubbery in the area, and especially in the Butterfly Garden.

“Both Jared and I believe this is a really good project for our students as it teaches them how to create a good environment. If there are others in the community who want to join us, just call us at the school,” Melinda Lynch said.

The Earth Rangers have opened new doors for Lehigh Elementary to form partnerships with local community businesses and organizations to help make a difference,” Lynch said.

She said that MW Horticulture, a local business, donated nine yards of soil to help with the garden beds that have already been built at the school.

She said parents at the school helped connect the school with another local organization with the same vision and mission – Healthy Harvest Farms on Mirror Lakes Drive.

Joe Pearson of Healthy Harvest Farms, along with volunteers, is expanding his gardens into Fort Myers. His project has been featured in The Citizen over the past few months.

“Healthy Harvest Farms generously donated an abundant supply of vegetable plants to help with the gardens,” Lynch said.

Home Depot at The Forum Center gave $250 worth of veggie plants and flowers to the Rangers

The teachers helping to run the project say that the Earth Rangers is a club that impacts students and brings awareness back to Mother Nature.

“There is a standing invitation to come and visit us and participate with us,” said Jared Wallace at Leigh Elementary. Just contact me at the school.”