Janesville, WI – It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.! Construction began Monday on the new St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and Dean Clinic Janesville and already truckloads of top-notch topsoil have been removed to make way. 

Now, thanks to a generous donation, tons of the valuable, nutrient-rich soil – 15 truckloads to be exact – will help green up a part of Rotary Gardens.

“As soon as I heard about plans for the new hospital and clinic, I reached out to Dean and St. Mary’s to see if they might be willing to donate it and they said yes,” says Gary Smith, the board chair of Rotary Gardens. “Fifteen loads of topsoil is about what we need for future development and that would’ve cost us a lot of money.”

“Rotary Gardens is such a wonderful asset to the city of Janesville and we’re happy to help out in this way,” says Kerry Swanson, President of St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital.

“But we certainly couldn’t have gifted any of the soil without the generous donation of time and trucks by Silha and Sons,” says Diane Wilhelm, Administrator of the Dean Clinic Janesville.

Rotary Gardens plans to use the donated soil to help raise part of its 20 acres out of the flood plain to help with the completion of their children’s garden, started this summer. In addition, it plans to save up the rest for use on future garden enhancements.