The Farming for the Future Academy is making great strides in Columbia Falls, thanks to a collaborative effort between the nonprofit academy and the Montana Veterans Home.

When the Veterans Home administrator offered an acre of unused land for a garden, academy founder Sherry Lewis-Peterson wasted no time in developing one element of her educational mission — a community garden.

Named the Onions for Autism, Veggies for Vets Community Garden, the plot of land is giving children on the autism spectrum an abundance of sensory experiences, which is vitally important in their development.

An unused building at the Veterans Home was offered for classrooms, another godsend for the academy. 

Lewis-Peterson, who has a 16-year-old autistic son, wants to create a program that embraces children with autism and gives them a special place to learn and grow. She’s taken on an ambitious project, hoping to raise $125,000 to hire para-educators for five students.

Armed with a master’s degree in curriculum, with special education certification, Lewis-Peterson is a tenacious go-getter who’s well-equipped to make her dream a reality. Visit www.farmingforthefutureacademy.org to find out how you can help.

Beloved teacher honored

One of the Flathead’s finest former teachers will not be forgotten due to the efforts of the Museum at Central School. Today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. the museum is holding a grand opening for the Dorothy Schoknecht Gallery.

Schoknecht was a beloved educator who taught biology and chemistry for 20 years at Flathead High School, and also spent time teaching at Central School in Kalispell, where her former classroom — which houses the History of the Flathead Valley exhibit — is now the gallery with her namesake.

Many thanks to the generous donors who contributed to the $100,000 fundraising effort to name the gallery. That money is put to good use to cover the operational costs of the museum housed in the landmark Central School building.

Going the extra mile!

A terminally ill woman got the ride of a lifetime last week when arrangements were made to take her in one of the famed red buses to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park.

Rhonda Hendricks was all eyes and smiles as the red bus carried her to the top of the Continental Divide. The trip was organized by park officials, Kalispell Regional Medical Center staff and Xanterra’s Glacier National Park Lodges, which operates the red buses.

It’s wonderful to see people coming together so lovingly to bring special joy to this woman’s life.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.