Generous Wainuioru School and Community Nursery [WSCN] volunteers have donated $40,000 to Wainuioru School last week.
WSCN chairperson Kelsey Shannon told the Times-Age that the nursery started up as an incorporated society before beginning the process of becoming a registered charity.
“The money was always going to go back to the school,” Shannon said.
The organisation started when the Wainuioru Community River Care Group received government funding to establish a local native plant nursery on the school premises.
Since then, the nursery has flourished into a team of hardworking and dedicated people.
“What Kelsey has put in is remarkable; she’s worked tirelessly and selflessly in the nursery,” said WSCN secretary Kate Toswill.
“It wouldn’t be where it is without her, and all the time, effort, and energy that she has put in,”.
The nursery has recently signed a contract with Akura Plant Nursery, which supplies many of the plants to the Wairarapa planting programmes of Greater Wellington Regional Council [GWRC].
Shannon said the nursery grew 50,000 plants this year, selling 33,000 to the Wainunioru Community River Care Group.
The remaining plants were sold to local farmers, members of the public, and GWRC.
Shannon has hopes the money can go towards getting students involved with the nursery.
“We’ve done a few courses for other nurseries on site, but we’re really keen to get more involved with the kids.
“It’s just about finding the right person and time, and getting it written into the curriculum,” Shannon said.
Wainuioru School principal Spencer Pallister said he is privileged to have a committed group of volunteers as part of the nursery and greatly appreciates the generous donation.
“We’re coming up with a plan with how we spend the money to provide a mixture of support for students,” Pallister said.
“We want to do a bit more of the outdoor learning, and things around the school that we can set up for the students, to have a mixture of indoor and outdoor learning.”
Meanwhile, Pallister and Shannon are eager to have more volunteers join the team.
