MANCHESTER – Around 40 township students recently helped beautify the local Children’s Memorial Garden in Toms River.
Manchester Township High School (MTHS) and Manchester Township Elementary School (MTES) students were not with their classes on the school playground, or outside for gym class, but chose to volunteer their time providing community service at the garden located at Winding River Park.
The MTHS Habitat for Humanity Club and Interact Club students teamed up with the MTES Junior Impact Club students for a spring clean-up. Students trimmed, planted, raked, swept and learned all about the Memorial Garden from one of the facility’s founders who told students a story about his child whose name graces the first paver to be placed in the Memorial Garden years ago.
They also worked side by side with the Compassionate Friends Organization (CFO) to make the area even more beautiful.
The Ocean County Chapter of the CFO is one of the largest chapters in New Jersey and dedicated this garden that is built on parkland property that Toms River Township had designated for its use. Through the hard work and dedicated efforts of many this garden is dedicated solely to the memory of children gone too soon.
The Manchester School District has adopted parts of the garden and township students help to maintain their grounds.
