MONTE VISTA—The Jessie May Olson Memorial Community Garden hosted a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and ground-breaking this past Saturday, June 24.
The garden, which is located at the corner of Stallo and Huxley, is on the property of the late, famous local gardener Jessie May Olson, now belonging to her niece, Wanda Hawman. The ceremony was attended by the Monte Vista Conquistadors and members of Olson’s church, The Seventh Day Adventist Church along with Claudia Ebel of the Valley Educational Garden Initiative (V.E.G.I.) and members of the Monte Vista Chamber, including President Linda Burnett. Nancy Plane of the Seventh Day Adventist church opened with a dedication and prayer, remembering how Olson taught her children to garden and noting the garden’s special history in Monte Vista. Sponsors and donors to the garden include Jim and Raina Bowsher of Southern Colorado Computer Services, Rocky Mountain Plumbing Services, Big R, Rainbows End, V&V Hardware and SLV Garden Center.