FAQs for the New Prague Rotary Peace Garden
Planting Love, Cultivating Community
Providing fresh produce to food-insecure families in the New Prague area.
100% of produce grown is donated to the New Prague Peace Center food shelf.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Where is the Peace Garden located?
The New Prague Rotary Peace Garden is located on the south side of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 1300 Main Street East.
What hours is the Peace Garden open?
The Peace Garden is open from sunrise to sunset.
Can I visit the garden even if I'm not a volunteer?
Absolutely! The garden is availble to anyone from sunrise to sunset. We just ask visitors to be respectful of any church services that may be taking place and to please not remove any produce from the garden.
What happens to the produce grown in the Peace Garden?
All the produce harvested is donated to the Peace Center food shelf in New Prague.
Can I rent a garden box for my personal gardening?
Sorry, no. The purpose of the garden is to grow fresh produce to donate to our neighbors in need through the New Prague Peace Center food shelf.
Who do I contact if I have questions or would like to donate or volunteer?
You can email us at coordinator@peace-garden.org.
Volunteering
How can I become a volunteer?
Just register on our volunteer page!
Can I drop in whenever I like?
You may volunteer whenever you’d like between sunrise and sunset. However, we do require that you register each time you volunteer. Registration is always open.
You are welcome to visit the garden at any time during garden hours. No registration is required for visitations.
Should I bring my own gardening tools?
The Peace Garden has a couple of sets of handheld tools available for public use. These tools are located inside the table. Or you may choose to bring your own. However, we do ask that you not store your personal tools in the garden as we cannot be held responsible for private items.
Are volunteers able to keep some of the produce?
Sorry, no. The purpose of the garden is to grow fresh produce to donate to our neighbors in need through the New Prague Peace Center food shelf.
Who should I notify for suggestions or if something needs to be repaired?
Please email us at coordinator@peace-garden.org.
Do you have to be a member of the New Prague Rotary or Holy Trinity Lutheran Church to participate?
No! All community members are encouraged to participate in the garden.
For Educators & Organizations
How can my organization get involved?
We are happy to collaborate with any organization. Please reach out to us at coordinator@peace-garden.org to discuss your organization’s needs!
Can I arrange a field trip to the garden for my class or organization?
Absolutely! Part of the Peace Garden’s mission is to provide education to local community organizations. Please reach out to us at coordinator@peace-garden.org and we will be happy to customize a learning program for you.
Donations / Funding / Sponsorship
Are my donations tax deductible?
Yes. All donations are processed through the New Prague Rotary Foundation, a 501(c)3 entity, and are tax deductible.
How do I make a donation?
You can make a direct contribution here. Or visit our sponsorship page for more options for formal sponsorship.
What is the difference between a donation and a sponsorship?
Contributions to the Peace Garden are graciously accepted in any amount.
For those looking to contribute a more significant amount, we’ve created sponsorship tiers that allow us to properly recognize contributions. Many sponsorship tiers include plaques within the garden, so these contributors are recognized as patrons of the garden.
The garden is entirely funded by contributions of all size. We appreciate every dollar given.
How are donations/sponsorship funds spent?
In our first year,the majority of our funding has gone into the building and planting of the garden, making landscape improvements, and purchasing furniture to make the area a place of fellowship.
A portion of funds will be held in reserve every year for maintenance costs and for the planned replacement of the garden in approximately 5 years time as the existing structure wears out.
Do you accept in-kind contributions of goods or services?
Yes, absolutely!
Contact us at coordinator@peace-garden.org to discuss!
What is the difference between the New Prague Rotary Club and the New Prague Rotary Foundation?
The New Prague Rotary CLUB is the organization that is entirely responsible for the build, maintenance, and management of the Peace Garden. We have approximately 55 members and meet every Thursday at the New Prague Golf Course at 11:30 (come check us out!)
The New Prague Rotary FOUNDATION is our fiscal entity. The FOUNDATION is a 501(c)3 legal entity, which means your contribitions to the Peace Garden are tax deductible.
Garden Details
How many boxes are in the garden?
There are 24 total boxes in the garden: 22 full 8′ x 3′ boxes and 2 half-box/half-benches.
What is the style of the boxes?
All of our boxes are roughly 8′ x 3′ and raised for easier gardening.
What will be planted in the garden?
The garden will consist of approximately 40 varieties of vegetables and herbs, along with a limited number of beds for flowers.
The produce grown was by request of the Peace Center food shelf.
Is the garden available to those with mobility issues?
While the garden is not technically ADA compliant, we made a significant effort to build the garden to be as accessible as possible.
All of the main aisles can easily accommodate walkers and wheel chairs, the boxes are raised to be kind on the back, and the surface is leveled crushed concrete.
Those in wheel chairs and walkers should be mindful, but for the most part should be able to visit and/or volunteer in the garden.
If you are a volunteer or visitor and have recommendations for improvements, please email us at coordinator@peace-garden.org.
How are the plants watered?
Due to an amazing in-kind contribution from Steve Rynda, we were able to implement a 4-zone drip irrigation system.
Does the garden have any place to sit and rest?
Yes, we have two built in benches within the garden.
How long do you expect the garden structure to last?
Great question. We anticipate that with ongoing care and maintenance, the lifetime of the existing garden will be approximately 5 years.
Each year, we plan to set aside a portion of our donations for ongoing maintenance and replacement.
Rotary
What is Rotary?
Rotary is a world-wide service-based organization made up of local clubs. Our primary objective is “Service Above Self.”
Long story short – we seek to better the world in small ways.
Members are required to abide by the “Four Way Test.”
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it bring good will and better friendships?
- Is it beneficial to all concerned?
Chances are if you know a Rotarian, they probably have a pretty good heart, decent character, and a hankering for a lot of community service.
While every Rotary club is slightly different in their goals and objectives, the New Prague Rotary Club tends to focus on improvements and service projects that benefit our local community.
For more information, please visit the club’s website or email us here at coordinator@peace-garden.org.
How can I become a Rotary member?
For more information on becoming a New Prague Rotary club member, visit our website at newpraguerotary.com where you can download an application, or send us a note to admin@newpraguerotary.com.
Ongoing contributions are vital to our mission.
Please Consider Donating Today!
