LOL Middle School’s New Pollinator Garden Dedicated to Late, Longtime, Beloved Secretary Joanie Bonvicin

The newly-planted pollinator gardens are dedicated to the much beloved Joanie Bonvicin, who served as Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School secretary for 44 years. All photos by Lyme-Old Lyme Schools.

OLD LYME—Last week, the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School Eco Warriors Club planted a set of pollinator gardens in front of the school. The garden is dedicated to beloved Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School secretary Joanie Bonvicin, who passed away in October 2023.

Middle School students hard at work planting the garden.

The plants and mulch in the garden were paid for through a Youth Environmental Action (YEA!) Grant awarded by the Old Lyme Land Trust. Eighth grader Aiden Guidi applied for and received the grant on behalf of the Club.

Master Gardener Linda Clough, who is a member of Duck River Garden Club, assisted the students with design and plantings for the garden.

The Eco Warriors were assisted in purchasing the plants wholesale by mentors from the Duck River Garden Club – Linda Clough and Maryellen Basham. Clough, a certified Master Gardener, advised the students on a garden design that used perennial native plants, which attract bees and butterflies.