CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS!
The Pawtucket Foundation is pleased to announce a call for business community volunteers to participate with Pawtucket Proud Day on June 8, 2010. On this community-wide volunteer day, residents and volunteers will lend a hand to officially open a community garden at Galego Court. Volunteers may now Register!
The project, dubbed "Garden of Life" by Galego Court residents, is an innovative urban garden venture conceived by New Urban Farmers and the Housing Authority of the City of Pawtucket. The site, located off of Weeden Street on Pawtucket's west side, has been cleared and leveled in preparation for the new garden.
New Urban Farmers, a Pawtucket based nonprofit, has already recruited 65 families from Galego to purchase raised beds which will be constructed, filled and prepared for planting by volunteers on Pawtucket Proud Day. Volunteers will also paint, plant trees and work to construct tables, benches, compost bins, flower boxes, coffee bean cushions, worm bins, a tool shed, vertical gardens and paths.
Thomas Mann, Executive Director of the Pawtucket Foundation explained the thought process behind the Foundation's involvement, "As a country we have to re-think how we provide food to our population. It simply isn't sustainable to continue to truck fresh produce 1,200 miles across our country. We really want to highlight New Urban Farmers and the Housing Authority for doing such an innovative project. We are excited to help kickstart their garden and we need the private sector to lend both financial and volunteer support to sustain this."
The Housing Authority owns the garden and is extending water and electric service to the property to make the garden possible. Galego Court families will work with New Urban Farmers to plant, maintain and harvest fruits, vegetables and herbs to enjoy throughout the summer and fall each year. New Urban Farmers will also educate individuals at all levels of the economic spectrum about the positive impact community gardening can have on our environmental, economic and social future.
Pawtucket Proud Day, now in its seventh year, was started to help clean up gateways to Pawtucket in preparation for hosting the International League All-Star Game at McCoy Stadium in 2004. In the years since, more than 800 volunteers have worked to clean up, paint, weed, plant, mulch and maintain 56 sites around Pawtucket and Central Falls. Local businesses typically provide volunteers to participate in the activities for the day.
Companies and volunteers interested in participating with Pawtucket Proud Day should contact the Pawtucket Foundation at 401-725-4400 or register online now. Proud Day will begin at 8:30 AM on June 8, 2010 at Galego Court, 483 Weeden Street, Pawtucket. Volunteers will work at the site throughout the day with lunch provided. After a day of hard work by volunteers the Garden of Life official opening will be held at 4:00 PM. The public is invited to attend the opening. The official opening ceremony is supported by Keepspace, an initiative of Rhode Island Housing that works to take a comprehensive approach to building sustainable communities.
Are you doing the June 8th Pawtucket Proud at Galego Ct?
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June 8th Pawtucket Proud Day to unearth Garden of Life at Galego Court complex...volunteers get the "I dig Pawtucket" t-shirt
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I did it....and can you spot me and others you know here? |
