BUILDING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

 IN 2010 THE WFSL STARTED A PEOPLE’S GARDEN THAT WAS 99% MANNED BY EMPLOYEE’S.  WE DONATED OVER 2,500 LBS OF PRODUCE TO LOCAL COMMNUNITY AGENCIES.  WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEEDED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE.

 THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO EXPAND THE PEOPLE’S GARDEN TO INCLUDE AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE AND INVOLVE MORE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND VOLUNTEER’S TO HELP EDUCATE THE EMPLOYEE’S AND THE PUBLIC WITH GOOD GARDENING PRACTICES AND EXPAND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

 IN FEBRUARY, WE STARTED MEETING WITH THE CHELAN COUNTY EXTENSION AGENCY’S MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM WHICH INVOLVED MANY PLANNING MEETINGS.  WE DISCUSSED HOW TO GET THE COMMUNITY ENERGIZED AND INVOLVED IN HELPING US OUT.  THERE WAS MANY IDEAS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

 THESE IDEAS INCLUDED ASKING BUSINESSES TO DONATE PLANTS AND SUPPLIES AND IN RETURN WE WOULD LIST THEIR NAMES ON THE SIGNAGE AS PARTNERS.  ASKING LAST YEAR’S RECIPIENTS TO PICK UP THEIR VEGETABLES AND TO CONTRIBUTE VOLUNTEER WORK IN THE GARDEN AND MANY MORE IDEAS WERE DISCUSSED.

 MASTER GARDENER, DOUG BERGSTROM IS IN THE PROCESS OF INVOLVING MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ADDITIONAL COLLABRATIVE EFFORTS.  THESE INCLUDE THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, THE CHELAN COUNTY JAIL, THE CHELAN COUNTY FAIR, AND THE MID POINT MEN’S SHELTER.

 THE MASTER GARDENERS HAVE AND WILL BE PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITES FOR THE WFSL PARTICIPANTS AND THE PUBLIC USING THE GARDEN FOR DEMONSTRATIONS AND TEACHING.  TWO CLASSES HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED FOR THE WFSL AND THE PUBLIC. THESE CLASSES ARE “INTRO TO GARDENING” AND “PRINCIPLES OF IRRIGATION”.

 THE GREEN TEAM IS PLANNING TO REQUEST FUTURE CLASSES TO COVER “PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT”; “COMPOSTING; AND ; “PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIC GARDENING”.  THE GARDEN IS NOW FULLY PLANTED AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE MADE THIS HAPPEN.  A LOCAL BUSINESS CAME AND TILLED THE GARDEN.

 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE COMMUNITY SERVICE CREW HAVE HELPED MAKE TOMATO CAGES, BEND REBAR STAKES TO SECURE THE CAGES AND HAVE HELPED LAY LANDSCAPE FABRIC AND BARK BETWEEN THE VINE VEGETABLE ROWS.  A TEAM FROM A LOCAL IRRIGATION COMPANY CREATED AN IRRIGATION MAP FOR THE GARDEN WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED AND IS WORKING BEAUTIFULLY.

 THE WFSL GREEN TEAM MEMBERS AND SOME OF THEIR SPOUSES AND FRIENDS HAVE STILL BEEN VOLUNTEERING THE MAJORITY OF THE VOLUNTEER WORK AND DOUG HAS BEEN WORKING ON RECRUITING AND SCHEDULING THE VOLUNTEER BASE NEEDED.  THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE MASTER GARDENER’S PROGRAM, THE WFSL GREEN TEAM, AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS WILL PROVIDE HEALTHY FOOD FOR NEEDY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TEACH SUSTAINABLE GARDENING PRACTICES WITH THIS GREAT PROJECT.

 A NEW NATIVE AND POLLINATOR GARDEN WHICH WILL HAVE AN INTERPATIVE PATH IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED BY THE EMPLOYEE’S OF THE LAB ALONG WITH HELP FROM THE MASTER GARDENER’S AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS.