Annabelle Carr, a Butler Catholic School fifth-grader, was one of the volunteers who helped with lettuce picking at the school garden. The garden, which includes several vegetable and fruit patches, is entirely maintained by volunteers during the summer. SUBMITTED PHOTO

With summer well underway, the Butler Catholic School garden crops are growing like weeds — and producing bushels of fruits and vegetables. Though school is closed for summer vacation, students are still showing up and helping out.

“Because it’s a school garden, the responsibility is the kids’,” said Sister John Ann Mulhern, Butler Catholic principal. “They’re being very active. They make sure the garden is weeded, they pick produce, they water.”

Several students and their families have volunteered to harvest the summer produce and donate it to local meal charities, such as Katie’s Kitchen.

Katie’s Kitchen is a community meal through St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, one of five free meals served by various churches in Butler from 5 to 6 p.m. on alternating week nights.

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