DECATUR - Gardening is tough to do from a wheelchair. Jusk ask 41-year-old Wilbur Stanley of Decatur.

Stanley weeded his foster mother's garden with a rake while he was growing up.

"I can't stand or walk because of cerebral palsy," he said, "but I sure wish I could grow some tomatoes and watermelons."

Thanks to two recently completed Eagle Scout projects at Macon Resources Inc., Stanley and other clients with physical disabilities are getting their wish starting with this growing season.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 134, based at Our Lady of Lourdes, built both projects last month under the direction of two 14-year-olds from Decatur: Will Irwin, son of Matthew and Sarah Irwin, and Phillip Tsigolaroff, son of Anthony and Christine Tsigolaroff.

Will's project was four moveable "salad tables," complete with drip

pans and adjustable grow lights so they can be used indoors. They are now outside near the agency's half-acre garden, and planted in lettuces and spinach.

Sue Senner-Donaldson, social/recreation coordinator for Macon Resources, said she bought most of the building materials with a $1,000 donation from the Lincolnland AMBUCS. That left Will with the responsibility of raising the money for the metal drip pans - King-Lar Co. designed them at no charge - and the grow lights and lining up his work crew.

The troop built the salad tables April 5 at Macon Resources.

"I like the outdoors, and I like to help people, so I thought I would do it," said Will, a freshman at Maroa-Forsyth High School who has been accepted to attend the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora for his last three years of high school.

Phillip's project was five planter boxes, measuring 4 feet square and featuring seats on opposite sides, built at his home April 20, as well as nine cat shelves he and his dad installed May 2 at Homeward Bound Pet Shelter.

"The cats now have some place to perch and look out the window," said Phillip, an eighth-grader at Our Lady of Lourdes School.

"I am also planning to make four scratching posts this summer."

Scoutmaster Steve Hamilton said the troop enjoys a great deal of parental support and that both boys did an excellent job planning and organizing their work.

"They did their research and built their projects according to the needs of Macon Resources," he said.

Senner-Donaldson said Phillip's boxes already are planted in onions, beets and other vegetables.

She added that the harvest from the garden will be sold, used at Macon Resources or at Macon Ice Cream, the agency's retail store downtown.

"I am very pleased with the tables and the boxes," she said. "Those boys did a great job."

Joe Lacy, 28, of Decatur said he

likes being able to work in the garden without getting "Jello legs" from squatting.

"It's good exercise, and I like to eat what we grow," he said.

"Tomatoes are my favorite."

Theresa Churchill can be reached at tchurchill@herald-review.com or 421-7978.