Recently the Bellevue Avenue frontage of Mt. Hebron was transformed from a patchy yard with diseased trees and a scraggly hedge to a thoughtfully landscaped space. Brick pillars and a low fence protect the new plantings.

As two signs posted on-site stated, the New Jersey Tree Foundation donated the trees and shrubs and planted them, gratis, assisted by Mt. Hebron students.

The rest of the project’s labor and materials, and the professional design, were donated or secured at deeply reduced cost through the long-term and selfless efforts of a Mt. Hebron parent, Darlene Sneden. She obtained $5,000 in grant money from Lowe’s, and Mt. Hebron families contributed thousands more.

The result will be a point of pride for the community: the restoration of Mt. Hebron School’s property to its former glory, achieved at a fraction of the market rate for such an endeavor.

Please consider publishing an article, accompanied by before-and-after photos, about the beautification of a lovely old school whose front yard had become an eyesore — a piece commending a volunteer for countless hours spent and dollars saved on a project that students, staff, neighbors, passersby and visitors to the uptown business district can enjoy.

We look forward to such an article in an upcoming issue of The Montclair Times, and would be happy to serve as sources of accurate information.