On Saturday, December 7th, the Farmers Market Renovation Committee will host a ribbon cutting and open house to show off the progress that has been made on the Community Garden.
Join us at the Farmer’s Market at 2:00 p.m. to learn how these gardens came about. Mayor Marks and Commissioner Menefee will address the crowd and Sparky, KALB’s mascot, will be available for Christmas pictures in the new gazebo. We are asking all who come to bring canned goods to be given to Limestone County Churches Involved. Sip some complimentary hot chocolate as volunteers explain the process of building each garden bed.
It is truly amazing what can be done when minds and hearts come together! Last spring, the community garden was just a sketchy idea and now we are ready to show off our progress.
Keep America Beautiful (KAB) announced an opportunity for affiliates to apply for several $20,000 and $5,000 grants from Lowe’s Corporate through KAB. Holly Hollman (City of Athens), Trisha Black (Spirit of Athens), and I (KALB) wrote the grant proposal together and applied for one of the $20,000 grants. KALB was the only organization in the entire State of Alabama to receive one of the large grants!
We were all so excited to have won the grant, until we realized we had no idea how to proceed since none of us are avid gardeners! We all put the word out that volunteers were needed to help us design and build a community garden over the next several months. A good cause will attract great people! Our committee grew to nearly 20 members — from men in business suites, boy scouts, and community leaders, to organic farmers and healthy living advocates.
How far can $20,000 go? When you have Lowe’s Heroes in your community willing to put time and store support into a project, and many business owners and others willing to invest in the project with donated products and services, it can go a very long way!
Once the garden beds are filled with the proper organic materials and soil, they will be left to rest until spring when another round of activity will begin. The gardens will be planted and tended, and all produce harvested will be given to Limestone County Churches Involved to share with local families in need.
If you or your organization would like to be part of the planting, growing, and harvesting process, please call 256-233-8728 and let us know! We hope to have enough volunteers that this can be done on a rotating schedule.
If you missed the ribbon cutting, look for many more opportunities through spring and summer as we develop community education programs to be held at the gardens, or call us for more information.
By: Lynne Hart
