A bland, vacant lot in Lansford was converted to usefulness Saturday morning.

Colorful flowers were planted and raised beds for fruits and vegetables had seeds put in them as a community garden at Bertsch and Center Street was started.

The lot was the site of a former movie theater that was torn down a number of years ago. Jodi Mika, coordinator, said it is being sponsored by Grace Community Church on Ridge Street, but is for anybody to enjoy.

She said the plants were donated by businesses and individuals. When the vegetables are fully grown, “we will come back and harvest them and be able to give that food back to the community,”  Mika said.

The garden has the theme “scattering seeds of hope.”

Volunteers received tie-dyed tee shirts with that theme written on them.

“I feel the community will benefit from it and it will be a positive change,”  Mika said.

Samantha Yasson, a member of Lansford Borough Council,  praised the approximately 30 volunteers in attendance for “working at doing something positive for the community.”

Volunteers were all ages ranging from elementary school children to older adults.