The songbird garden at Weyauwega Health Care Center continues to grow.
The latest addition to the garden are birdfeeders that were built by Waupaca County Charter School students.
On April 26, students visited the health care center and donated them to the center’s courtyard garden.
“The birdfeeders will be hung up around here,” said Tracey Rice, who is the charter school’s lead teacher.
He taught the students how to make them during their shop class.
“It was a project I had for them,” Rice said. “The intention was that if they got done fast enough, they could donate one and then take one home.”
One of the students – Taylor Brazil – also made feeders at home to donate to Weyauwega Health Care Center.
Some of the students had never touched a tool before.
“It’s learning basic skills with hand tools and power tools,” he said.
Rice said some of the students at the county’s charter school are there full days, while others are there part of the day.
The structure of their school day includes classwork and hands-on activities.
In addition, community service is a component of the charter school.
Since the charter school is located in Weyauwega, the students often visit Weyauwega Health Care Center and have become familiar with the courtyard garden.
Students have helped plant vegetables and flowers in the garden’s raised beds and barrels.
“It is part of their community service hours,” Rice said. “They come here to donate their time, to do whatever projects the center needs help with.”
Sometimes, the students spend time putting puzzles together with residents.
Before Christmas, residents told students what the holiday was like 60 to 70 years ago.
“A lot of it,” Rice said, “is spending time to get a different perspective.”