SWAMPSCOTT — The town’s police and fire departments will compete to have the best first responder garden in ReachArts’ first-ever Garden Art Walk this July.
Meeting in front of ReachArts’ community center on Burrill Street Monday afternoon, Fire Chief Graham Archer and Police Chief Ron Madigan generously offered each other a bucket of weeds to help kickstart their garden design.
“One man’s weed is another man’s flowers,” Madigan joked. “They have more time on their hands to garden than we do.”
The event, which will be held on Sunday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will showcase the work of local artists and Swampscott’s resident gardeners. Attendees will receive a map of participating gardens and take themselves on a tour, where they can see artists’ work, watch demonstrations and participate in all-ages activities.
ReachArts member Pat Gorham, a teacher, said that she was inspired to invite the departments to participate when her class was visited by a police officer while having class outside, and she was reminded that the town’s first responders are often members of the community even when not on the job.
“This is supposed to be an inclusive event for the entire community,” she said. “We’re all connected.”
Both Archer and Madigan said that they had already started planning for the Garden Art Walk.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun with this,” Archer said.
Attendees will be able to vote for either the Police or Fire department garden on July 11.
Registration for the event for artists or gardeners is $10, and all participants must be registered by June 7 to appear on the event map and receive a garden sign. Attendance for all others is free.
For more information about the event, or to register, visit reacharts.org.
