Garden clubs donate rakes, 2 wheelbarrows to Habitat

It's the season for giving, and local gardeners have done their share with a recent donation of tools to the Augusta chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

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The Augusta Council of Garden Clubs made the donation this week after a year of fundraising. Barbara Horner, a member of the Iris Garden Club, served as chairwoman of the Habitat for Humanity Committee.

"The Iris Garden Club had gotten involved with Habitat for Humanity and in landscaping a yard for a house that Habitat is renovating to sell so they can build two more homes," Horner said.

When Jil Powell came on as the president of the Augusta Council of Garden Clubs, she was well aware of the Iris Garden Club's involvement with Habitat for Humanity and asked Horner to head a committee to oversee additional projects for the agency.

During the spring and fall plant sale and swap at Savannah Rapids Pavilion, money was tucked aside for the Habitat project. When nearly $400 was raised, Horner approached the agency and asked them what supplies they needed. Habitat staff asked for a wheelbarrow and a rake.

This week, the Augusta Council of Garden Clubs presented Habitat for Humanity with two wheelbarrows and several rakes.

"By making this donation, it gives the garden clubs a chance to help in the community," Horner said.

Amy Thomas, the business office manager at Habitat's Augusta location, said the donations are greatly appreciated.

"Any time we get a donation of equipment, it's a long-term donation, not temporary," she said. "This equipment can be used over and over, which means we use it until it has to be replaced."

When equipment is donated to the agency, funds that otherwise would be used to purchase equipment can then be redirected to the home-building, Thomas said.

"Donations like these free up those funds so we can use them on the home," she said.

Habitat for Humanity has completed two homes in the Augusta area this year and is working on a third. A fourth home is being renovated.

"They do a lot of good in the community and we wanted to help them out," Horner said.