A club paves the way for environmental helpers

You want to stay longer at a Bellport Garden Club gathering, especially their annual tea, which took place last week at Christ Episcopal Church.

The club celebrated $3,000 scholarship awards each to three Bellport High School students: Emma Davies (University of Rhode Island), Leena Elbaroudy (Stony Brook University) and Orion Beadle (University of Oklahoma). Chiara Scharpf, a 2019 winner, was there to talk about her advancement, a sustainability analyst focused on energy.

The members, mostly women (two men recently joined), resemble the efforts of the industrious bees they encourage with their plantings.

About 60 members zoomed into the tea—we say zoom because several kept walking in and out fast, carrying trays they placed on the tables with homemade and locally made sandwiches, cakes, even little flower bouquets.

It’s hi, hello, hugs, what’s new, encouragement, discussing their next project. Their upcoming 100th anniversary, in 2027, is already making enthusiastic, gung-ho  progress.

(They really should be running the country!)

The awardees were all headed towards environmental fields that included more thoughtful architecture and communication; Beadle, who had a prior commitment and couldn’t attend, was aiming for the field of storm meteorology and sustainability.

Kathy Desmond, who heads up the scholarship committee, explained the process. Students who apply get interviewed in late winter. “Then we get a blind list (no names) giving us financial information, how much they’re paying towards college, academics, sports and community activities, and they’re asked to write an essay,” she said. Applicants are pared down to six. Then a selection is made.

A true community effort, two students, Anna and Rowan Schultz, helped set up the tables, arranged the chairs, then after, washed dishes and utensils in the kitchen.

Make sure when you see Anna and Rowan watering the flower boxes, which the Bellport Garden Club establish and pay for yearly, to say hello. n