Cat's Eagle Project to Support Rolling Ridge & Giving Garden

Story

Hello, my name is Catherine (Cat). I am a member of Troop 73G of Andover, MA and a founding member of the first female scout troop in our town. I am fundraising for my Eagle Scout project, and my project will benefit Rolling Ridge Retreat & Conference Center and the Giving Garden. Rolling Ridge, "A True Oasis of Quiet Beauty and Gracious Hospitality" hosts community events such as spiritual retreats and outdoor activities. The Giving Garden is located within the Rolling Ridge Retreat & Conference Center and is a small-scale non-profit farm that provides fresh fruits and vegetables for the hungry, addresses food insecurity and fosters community as it is a garden that anyone can work on. Their harvest goes to Neighbors in Need and other local food pantries to distribute food/other essentials to families in need (free of cost). My project will involve constructing a kiosk that will be placed near the parking lot of Rolling Ridge. I will design a map which will include the Giving Garden location, trail maps and direct people to different areas of Rolling Ridge. The map will be posted on a kiosk which we will build. The kiosk will be constructed similarly to the existing kiosk at Rolling Ridge and will hold a full-size map and seasonal information. It will serve as an information station, including the backstory behind Rolling Ridge Retreat, hold flyers that talk about specific events going on and additional information about volunteer opportunities. Finally, my project will also include a garden box at the base of the kiosk that will contain fresh herbs planted and provided by the Giving Garden. The garden box will contain information on types of herbs and the herbs grown there will be free to take and use. With the growing mental health crisis, it is important to be able to access services such as those at Rolling Ridge where can build a sense of community and connect people through the natural beauty of the outdoors.