Students’ blitz

By Tania Martin
MONBULK’S Mountain District Christian School woodwork students last week got the chance to help with a backyard blitz project for a family in Croydon.
In the past 12 months, Melanie Toynton, of Croydon, has been battling breast cancer, and her husband, Peter, has had to give up work to help out with their five children.
Knoxbrooke Incorporated, which is a Mt Evelyn-based horticulture education program for adults with disabilities, decided to give the couple a garden makeover and called on other schools in the area for help.
Mr Toynton said he was thrilled when he found out about the backyard blitz idea, as the garden had been neglected because of Melanie’s illness.
He said with Melanie being in and out of hospital and looking after their five children, aged between seven and 20-months, it was a real struggle to even think about the gardening.
Mrs Toynton said the backyard blitz came at a time when she was feeling disheartened with her illness and that it had lifted her spirits.
She said it was something positive that she can focus on as her garden changes from week to week.
Jay Pinkster from Knoxbrooke said the backyard blitz, which has been running for the last six weeks, has given students an opportunity to put their skills to use in a real-life situation while helping out someone in need.
Thirteen Mountain District Christian School students spent the day at the Toyntons last week helping out with the project.
Mr Pinkster said the project had been inspired by the television show Backyard Blitz, and that the vision had expanded from basic garden maintenance to a total garden makeover.
“Through a friend I found out that Melanie had cancer and the family was finding it hard to keep the garden in shape,” Mr Pinkster said.
He said Swinburne TAFE’s pre-apprenticeship building and construction course participants built and donated a cubby, while Mountain District Christian School students built a sand pit, fixed the gate and installed a clothes line.
He said horticulture students from four other local high schools have been landscaping the backyard with plants donated by Yarraview Nursery and the Home of Garden Lovers, and Supersoil has donated some sand to the project so that the newly constructed sand pit could be filled.
Mr Pinkster said the project was a remarkable initiative because people with disabilities are often dependant on others for care and support, and that through gardening, the students could provide care and support to others.
“Melanie and Peter’s garden has effectively become a classroom for dozens of students,” he said.