Honorary FFA Degree bestowed upon local volunteer who helps with raingarden
Donna Teynor played an instrumental role in ensuring the Prairie du Chien High School raingarden came to fruition.
By Correne Martin
The first time local volunteer Donna Teynor met Prairie du Chien High School FFA adviser Diane Colburn, Donna said she had always wanted to be a member of the FFA. However, she was never able to be an official member because girls weren’t allowed in the organization when she was in school.
Well, now, her wish has come true—in an honorary way.
Donna was presented with an Honorary FFA Degree by the Prairie du Chien chapter for her efforts in making the high school raingarden/drainage basin successful when the students were unable to put in the work on campus due to the coronavirus.
“The Honorary Degree is a way for people like Donna to get the recognition they deserve,” Colburn explained.
The high school rain garden project was a concept of the Forestry, Wildlife and Conservation Management class, modeled and designed after an idea conducted by UW-La Crosse students. Prairie du Chien’s is basically a miniature version of the college’s. It was approved by the school board at the beginning of the 2018-2019 academic year.
The rain garden site is located at the school, along South Fremont Street. As a drainage basin, its intent is to remedy the issues of erosion and water pollution from surface runoff. The rain garden will work by temporarily holding and soaking in rain water that would otherwise run into the street.
The school received a grant to assist with the cost of perennials that will help slow the drainage.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, and schools essentially closed, the perennials for the project were about to be delivered. Realizing there would be no students and little staffing at the school to carry out the job, Colburn was worried the work wouldn’t get done. As the FFA adviser and agriculture teacher at the time, Colburn, herself, had to be very hands-off, because she is strictly quarantining due to a family medical issue. She feared that the school might not get to accept the perennials.
When Donna was suggested as someone who could help out, and she agreed to do so, Colburn was as grateful as ever.
“If she wouldn’t have stepped forward, we would’ve lost about $2,500 worth of seedlings,” Colburn said. “She transplanted and watered all of them.”
During the summer, Donna continued to care for the perennials. When site preparations for the project did not happen as hoped, she even helped facilitate that work early in the fall, along with city public works staffer Dan Titlbach and school board president Lonnie Achenbach.
“She pushed to get the soil in,” Colburn said of Donna’s role.
Since the beginning of the school year, Donna has been available, if needed, to provide expertise for the district’s Forestry, Wildlife and Conservation Management class, overseen by new ag teacher Kelly Renner.
A silt fence has been installed around the large area of the garden. The purpose of the silt fence is to retain the soil around the garden.
As each season comes and goes, the new rain garden should grow and mature more, according to Colburn. Together, with the rocks (courtesy of Gale Beneker and Prairie Sand and Gravel) and soil, the native perennials should not only soak up some of the drainage but also bring in pollinators to the area.
As long as there is hard work and community ownership, from giving individuals like Donna, this project is sure to flourish.
Honorary FFA Degree or not, Donna is one who simply loves gardening. But this thoughtful recognition is one she greatly appreciates.
Prairie du Chien High School senior Riley Hubanks contributed to this article.
