“We want people to see pretty things in our town,” says Emma Williamson, one of the members of Brownie Troop 33013 who have taken on the task of creating a community garden in Tamaqua.

Fellow Scout Lilyanne Hess is quick to add, “And the vegetables will help people who don’t have enough to eat.”

The troop is currently working on their “Journey” badges, designed to help them learn more about themselves as individuals and as part of the larger community.

Each journey starts with discovery, learning more about themselves, fellow Brownies and the community. The 11 girls in Troop 33013 discovered there were many needs in Tamaqua. Their first idea was to create a dog park, where their furry friends could romp and play safely. That journey didn’t make it very far due to liability concerns.

They went back to the drawing board. Some of the needs they discovered were blighted properties that tarnish the way the community looks and more food resources for those in need of a helping hand.

This brought them to the second step of their journey — connect. Connecting the dots between turning empty, blighted lots into places of beauty and ways to help feed the community led them to a new goal, a community garden. From there, it was time to take action, the third step in their journey.

The first goal was to secure a place for the garden. Tamaqua Borough Council offered a 26-by-50-foot property on South Leigh Street, a vacant lot created after a fire that required the demolition of two houses. The borough will also provide the needed water.

With a site in place, it was on to the next step. The girls and their leaders, Merenda Hess and Ashley DeBellis, visited other gardens to see what was needed. They discovered that raised bed gardens would be the best way to create their oasis of green. From wooden boxes to bales of hay to using discarded tires, the options were discussed and weighed. Cal’s Auto of Hometown agreed to donate old tires, which the girls are painting with their own designs.

Emma says, “Instead of having this lot look like this forever, we can make it pretty.”

Brownie Polly Housler says, “This is going to be something fun to do.”

Leader Hess says, “While there are details that still need to be worked out, the community response has been positive. Along with the donations from the borough and Cal’s, we will be getting flowers donated from Silver Maple and Edge of the Woods Nurseries and the Odd Fellows have offered all the dirt we’ll need to get started.”

The first actual work day at the new community garden will be Aug. 19. Flowers will be the first thing planted, due to it being so late in the growing season.

The troop will spend the winter months planning for a full garden come spring, but will need the community’s help to ensure the sustainability of the project.

“This is something for the whole community. We need volunteers now and for the future, so we can make this a take what you need garden,” Leader DeBellis said.

Anyone interested in helping the girls on their journey may call or text Hess at 610-554-7673 or DeBellis at 915-329-6761, or follow them on their Facebook page, Tamaqua Community Garden.