Red Beets from Orwigsburg Town Square Donated to Families in Need

 

The Orwigsburg Area Business & Professional Association (OABPA) has announced the successful completion of Phase 1 of its Town Square renovation project, which has produced both visual improvements and a tangible benefit for the community: a harvest of red beets donated to the Orwigsburg Food Pantry.

The initiative, known as Grow Orwigsburg – The Center Square Beautification Project, has focused on revitalizing the town’s central square with upgraded features and new landscaping. Over the past several months, OABPA coordinated the installation of an irrigation system, improved lighting, and the removal of declining trees to make space for new plantings.

As part of the design, the organization incorporated edible plants into the square, including a section dedicated to red beets. This season, the beets were successfully harvested and delivered to the Orwigsburg Food Pantry, where they will be distributed to local families.

“Seeing the Square come together has been rewarding beyond what I imagined,” said Lila Smith, OABPA President. “It was never just about making something pretty—it was about growing something useful. These beets are physical proof that our efforts can beautify our town and nourish our neighbors.”

The landscaping and planting were led by Rick Skorupski, owner of Silver Maple Nursery, who noted that the choice to plant edible crops was initially experimental. “When we added our new irrigation system and planned the plantings, adding red beets felt like an experiment—would people notice, would they thrive in our dry summer? They did both. To see a healthy harvest is deeply satisfying,” he said.

The donation was welcomed by Edna and Jeb Hart, directors of the Orwigsburg Food Pantry at St. John’s Church. “This donation is more than food—it’s community care. Fresh vegetables like these red beets give families access to nutritious options that might otherwise be hard to come by. We are grateful to the OABPA for thinking beyond the ordinary and contributing in such a meaningful way,” they shared.

Phase 1 of the project demonstrates the dual goals of OABPA: enhancing public spaces while directly supporting community needs. The association plans to continue the Town Square improvements in future phases.

PHOTO CAPTION:


Members of the Orwigsburg Area Business and Professional Association (OABPA) recently donated red beets harvested from their town square beautification planting to the Orwigsburg Area Food Pantry.



Pictured left to right – front row – Savannah Bowmer (OABPA), Kris Saddler (OABPA), Edna Hart (Orwigsburg Area Food Pantry), Ruby Smith (OABPA), back row – Jeb Hart (Orwigsburg Area Food Pantry), Joanne Parulis (OABPA), Rick Skorupski (OABPA), and Lila Smith (OABPA)