On Monday, January 16th the VISTAs at Grow Food, Grow Hope will make the National Holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr. a 'Day On' instead of a 'Day Off'. We will join with student and community volunteers to celebrate the memory of Dr. King through service projects in our local area.
The MLK Day Challenge consists of one day of intense service, whereby volunteer teams will go out into the community to tackle service projects for local non-profits. This is service that will have a lasting impact on the community and it will challenge volunteers to use their problem-solving and communication skills to complete the job in just a few short hours.
We are currently seeking host sites for these service projects. If you are a non-profit in the Wilmington area and have a project that you have wanted to do, but just haven’t had the time or means to do it, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. We are seeking projects that have a definite start and finish to them and can be completed in about 3 hours by 5-10 capable workers who will have a budget of close to $100. Examples of projects may include painting a mural, cleaning a space, demolition, cooking a meal, refurbishing, outdoor maintenance, creating care packages or anything else your organization may need.
Projects will be completed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - Monday, January 16th, 2012 from 11:00am-2:00pm. If you are interested in participating as a host site for the MLK Day Challenge, please complete an application and return it to:
Center for Service and Civic Engagement Wilmington College 1870 Quaker Way Box #1145 Wilmington, Ohio 45177
Or you can also fax it to (937)383-8560 Attn: Amy Volz
Applications must be received by Wednesday January, 4th 2012. We will be choosing 5 locations to host a project, organizations will be notified by Friday, January 6, 2012. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact Grow, Food Grow Hope at the information listed below. For more information on the MLK Day Challenge, please visit www.MLKDay.gov.
As the recession lingers and the unemployment rate hovers near the double digits in most states, the need for food is as great as ever. The need for community is perhaps just as great. Word of what we started here in Wilmington has spread to other towns and today word spread back to us in the form of a letter telling of the birth of a new community garden in Fairfax, Virginia.
Here is that letter. It was sent originally to Randy Sarvis, the Public Relations Director at our host site, Wilmington College by a WC Alumni and a member of the WC President's Advisory Board:
Randy,
Hey, you might want to share a Grow Food, Grow Hope extension story at Christ United Methodist Church here in Virginia with the Grow Food, Grow Hope folks in Ohio. The Grow Food, Grow Hope folks in Ohio were instrumental in guiding us so a big thanks to them, Wilmington College and the Agriculture Department.
It's finally a reality with two Eagle Scouts leading our youth group in a "pilot" construction project this November to get 4 growing plots installed at our Church. Planting will begin early this Spring and harvest in the Fall. The produce will go to the local food banks in connection with our sister Church, Rising Hope along Route 1 here in VA is the plan.
The Hope is for us to learn, grow and transfer our learning to the recently acquired 25 acre campus to be built out in the coming years after we sell our existing Church Campus.
Anybody want to buy 5 pristine acres in Northern Virginia (suburb of Washington, DC) close to your congressmen and congresswoman? Just kidding!!
A few pictures attached. Be well!
Bill Shugarts
We are honored that we can be such an inspiration to others, for others have certainly been an inspiration to us. We wish everyone in Virginia the best of luck with the new garden and we'll be looking forward to more pictures in the spring!
Click below to view a copy of our most recent newsletter.
In this issue, you can read an editorial from Sara Colegate, one of our Friends of Hope Community Garden Mentors. You can also check out the first volunteer spotlight of what will surely be many to come. There is an excellent Nutella hot cocoa recipe. And to wrap it all up, a recap of some food-focused seminars attended by the staff at GFGH.
December 2011
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