Eleven Ada Sunrise Rotary volunteers spent a Saturday morning at the Wintersmith Arboretum tackling two goals: creating a native pollinator garden and restoring the club's Rotary wheel installation.
On May 9, 2026, eleven Ada Sunrise Rotary volunteers headed to the Wintersmith Arboretum for a morning service project with two clear goals: establish a native pollinator garden in a barren section of the arboretum, and restore the Rotary wheel, a stone block and edger installation the club had built in an earlier project.
On the garden side, we put 22 native pollinator plants in the ground, blanket flower, whorled milkweed, frogfruit, and more, sourced from the Chickasaw Cultural Center's Earth Day giveaway. We also sowed a bag of Oklahoma wildflower seeds, relocated some daffodil bulbs, and added canna lilies to the mix. The new bed has been marked so the City of Ada Parks crew knows to work around it.
On the wheel side, we cleared out the overgrowth, cleaned up the stonework, and laid down fresh mulch. A few of the members who worked on the original installation were on hand to help with the restoration, a nice full-circle moment.
This is Phase 1. The wheel is restored, the garden is planted, and there's more we can do with this space. If you'd like to be part of Phase 2, reach out to any board member or committee chair.
Supporting the environment is one of Rotary's seven Areas of Focus. Planting native species that support local pollinators and restoring community green spaces is that commitment in action, right here in Ada.
