Rachel Serrell
Staff Writer
University of Wyoming’s Life and Dining Services’ Plant and Pint event returns to campus this month as an opportunity for attendees to relax while enjoying a beverage and planting succulents.
This event is a call for all plant lovers who are seeking a fun activity to participate in that is not school related. UW students, faculty, staff and the Laramie community are welcome. Attendees can enjoy planting with their friends and peers in a relaxed environment.
Lisa Parrish, the Operation Manager of Retail Dining, said the event started last spring in April. It has been a success since the start of the event. As of this semester, Plant and Pint is hosted every month.
“This event was a lot of fun and definitely worth my time,” Josee Lundvall, a junior at UW, said. “I love plants so much, so to be able to participate in an activity that involved planting and spending time with my friends was an incredible experience!”
Lundvall and her friends plan on returning to Plant and Pint as often as they can.
Parrish said this event has been a huge success, not only financially, but also to expand people’s knowledge on the Williams Conservatory on campus. The work done in conjunction with the Conservatory helps bring attention to what is offered by this department.
The Conservatory was built in 1994 due to private donations from Louis O. and Terua P. Williams. It continues to expand and be maintained by the contributions of grant dollars from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The three main missions of the Conservatory are research, education and outreach.
The facility is utilized by various graduate students and faculty, and visited by hundreds of visitors every year, including the UW and Laramie community, traveling tourists, and Wyoming residents. Students of all ages get the opportunity to come and learn about plants from different climates and biomes in real life.
“An added bonus, participants have something to brighten up their room, home or a gift for a friend,” Parrish said.
Parrish said she came up with the idea and immediately wanted to collaborate with the Conservatory.
“I would like to work with as many departments on campus as possible to showcase their education and diversity while providing a casual environment for attendees to enjoy some much needed friend and laughter time together,” she said.
Last semester, Parrish connected with the Haub School in order to brainstorm and learn how to make the Gardens a more sustainable operation. Beverages are no longer served in plastic cups and instead are more frequently served in glass pints.
Plant and Pint will be in the Gardens, located in the basement of the Wyoming Union on Nov. 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
