By Leighah Beausoleil
On a warm, sunny day in front of the McCarthy Center, students gathered to paint pots for their blooming marigolds during an event hosted by Green Initiative April 11.
Christopher Bretti, treasurer and community garden manager for Green Initiative, said they grew the plants from seeds in their greenhouse located on the sixth Boor of Hemenway.
“I’m trying to get used to planning ahead of time when it comes to plants just because that sort of planning can be very difficult, especially as a novice gardener myself,” Bretti said. “But you know, I’m just trying to spread a little bit of joy – a little bit of sustainability.”
Students were able to keep any marigolds they wanted for their painted pots. The remaining marigolds will stay in the greenhouse until they are ready to be planted in the organization’s community garden located on the side of the McCarthy Center, according to Bretti.
He said with the organization being “revamped,” he hoped this event would help promote awareness of them and “create a community around sustainability and stewardship for the Earth.”
Kaitlyn Monroe, a freshman fashion design and retailing major, said, “I was really excited to paint the pot myself and all that and then have the plant in my room.”
Vienne Peltier, a freshman biochemistry major, said, “I’ve actually done the succulent one before and I still have my succulent in my room and I really like it.”
She added, “I like having plants in my room.”
Maya Haywood-Hicks, a freshman early childhood education major, said she is not typically a plant person, but she had attended a previous event with smaller plants and wanted a bigger one for her room.
Tahnyia Black, a freshman environmental science major, said she decided to do the event because it was “really cool and I like how it’s a nice day out, so it just makes me want to do it.”