By Louise Carroll
Special to The Ledger
ELLWOOD CITY – As Betty Pesce watched while a group of volunteers prepared a garden Saturday for Schill Manor, she laid claim to the first tomato that will bloom.
As the oldest resident of the Short Street senior housing facility at age 93, Pesce has earned the right.
More than a dozen people gathered at the home to get two raised troughs ready for planting. The weather was chilly, but the energy and excitement quickly warmed up the area.
The project, a partnership of Schill Manor, Calvin Presbyterian Church and the Rotary Club of Ellwood City, will enable Schill residents to enjoy planting and harvesting vegetables and herbs. The beds are handicapped-accessible for walkers and rollators.