Vandals storm greenhouse | News, Sports, Jobs

Each summer, students from the school work with their parents to grow plants as part of the center’s summer garden program, teaching both parties how to grow and harvest vegetables. At the end of the year, the students harvest the vegetables and a celebratory dinner is held for them at the center’s facility, located at 200 Weese Street Extension.

All the hard work, money spent and things learned in the program were undone by a senseless act that killed all but a few herbs growing in the greenhouse. The heavy-duty plastic covering the greenhouse was also damaged to the point that it needs to be replaced.

“It is heartbreaking and sad because the children work so hard in this greenhouse,” Denise Campbell, an employee of the West Virginia Autism Supportive Center, told The Inter-Mountain on Wednesday: “The many hours the children spent are now over. How are we supposed to explain this to them after they have been there all summer watching their plants grow? It’s just devastating.”

Campbell said the students planted the vegetables this spring and now it is time for them to begin harvesting.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

“It is really heartbreaking because they grew all the vegetables in the garden either from seeds or just from small plants,” She said. “The plants that were actually ready for harvest have mostly disappeared.”

Campbell said several people in the community have already reached out to her and told her they want to help.

“Many people from the community have told us that they are willing to help us wherever they can,” said Campbell. “It’s a good feeling that there are people who appreciate the little things we do to help autistic children and their families. This is an activity they do in the summer where they can take responsibility and learn about growing. That’s important to them.”

Campbell said the incident was reported to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, which is investigating the vandalism.

“We reported it and one of the officers came immediately,” said Campbell. “We have to set up cameras now, which is a shame.”

Campbell said that despite the destruction of food for the children, she still wants to host the annual feast for them.

“We will come up with something for them,” said Campbell. “We usually have a dinner at the end of the season and we’ll make sure we have something for these kids. We’ll make the most of it. They say when something negative happens, there’s a chance something positive will happen.”

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to contact the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. For more information about the West Virginia Autism Supportive Center, call 304-614-4904 or visit the center’s Facebook page.