Donations continue to be sought for new greenhouse

LAUREL – Donations are still being sought as plans start formalizing to move forward on greenhouse construction at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School’s Laurel campus.

The greenhouse project, named “Ernie’s Place” after a generous donation by the late Ernie Swanson’s family, will get underway this fall and be connected to the parking lot on the south side of the school.

Students will work alongside professionals to construct the new greenhouse with ground preparation and dirt work performed by Detlefsen Construction.

“What the building construction class will be helping with is pouring the concrete and making sure all drainage from the building is functional,” said Pat Harrington, LCC’s shop teacher.

The structure is being built by Stuppy Greenhouse, based in Kansas City, Mo.

The school hopes to fully fund an additional $90,000 needed for the greenhouse project through donations, but will move forward with some fundraising still required, said Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen.

“The school continues to seek additional funding in support of the greenhouse project. Generous sponsors and supporters continue to donate, helping to make this opportunity a reality,” he said. “Efforts to meet our goal will continue until the goal is reached.”

“Ernie’s Place” will be a learning space for several different program areas.

LCC students of all ages will benefit from agricultural knowledge and learning opportunities, including cross-grade and content area collaboration with industrial arts, business, digital media, marketing and entrepreneurship, math, biology, chemistry and environmental science, Christiansen said.

The LCC greenhouse project will also provide opportunities to extend current learning initiatives, including the community-supported Farm Test Plot and a growing partnership with the Northeast Nebraska Agriculture and Natural Resources Education Compact, which includes the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Northeast Community College, Wayne State College and Haskell Lab.

“The plant science students will be involved with setting up the greenhouse and planning what flowers and vegetables to grow in the greenhouse, along with the growth cycles,” said Colbey Luebbe, FFA chapter advisor and ag teacher. “Ag business class will be involved with the business side of things. I would love to have a plant sale in the spring with hanging baskets, flower and vegetable packs that the chapter could sell to the community.”

Other educational activities will be held in “Ernie’s Place,” but curriculum integration is still in the very early stages of program development.

Along with a $75,000 donation by the Swanson family, other large donations have been received from an FFA association and the Laurel Chamber Community Club.

Along with the price of the greenhouse, other costs include electrical wiring and plumbing at the building site.

For more information about the program or to donate to the cause, contact LCC at 402-256-3133.