Campus Impact

 

Recently, the Messiah College class of 2012 voted to help fund the development of a rain garden next to the new Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts as their senior gift project. This exciting, new project for Messiah College will collect and filter rainwater runoff from the new building.

 

A rain garden looks just like any other flower garden, but actually contains a strategic combination of mostly native plants, trees, and other foliage. The garden is also composed of highly absorbent soil that helps to collect and store rainwater. This allows the rainwater to slowly filter into the ground as well as be pumped into the air by the plants, cleansing it of impurities. By collecting the water, the garden will also help to prevent and minimize flooding.

 

The campus’ first rain garden will be at the corner of College Avenue and Creekside Drive below the new Calvin and Janet High Center. The class of 2012 will be fund raising for this project until graduation in May when they hope to have reached their goal of over $8,000! (Read about the project in a Swinging Bridge article.)

 

For more information about this project and Messiah College’s commitment to sustainability, contact Craig Dalen, sustainability coordinator, at 717-766-2511, ext. 4785 or green@messiah.edu.

 

For questions about the senior gift, contact Dan Custer, senior gift advisor, at 717-796-1800, ext. 3640 or DCuster@messiah.edu. You can also get updates by following the senior gift on Facebook and Twitter (@MCSrGift2012).

 

These pictures are samples of what the Messiah College rain garden will look like.