Hello All,

 

CAC would like to send out a great big thank you to all who participated in last Saturday’s Grow Together Madison Conference!  Special thanks to the Aldo Leopold Nature Center for providing us with such a warm and friendly space and to their naturalists for such wonderful educational activities for the almost 40 children who were part of this event.  We would also like to thank the UW-Extension Dane County and the Community Food and Garden Network for providing funding for and co-sponsoring the event. 

 

With over 110 people in attendance, it was one of the most successful events our Community Gardens Program has hosted for many years.  We hope to build on this with summer programming at community gardens, and a similar conference next spring; so keep your eyes and ears open for these opportunities.  The strong positive response across all ethnic, socio-economic, and age groups highlights the need for such activities and showcases the ability of community gardening to break down these barriers and build community bridges. 

 

Again, you ALL are what makes the community gardening process special and unique, and you deserve to be thanked and uplifted by the experience. To see community in action, check out the attached photos and keep up the great community-building work!

 

Please be sure to personally thank all the folks below who worked very hard to make this conference a smash hit!

 

John Bell—Troy Community Garden

Paul Bittorf—Reynolds Community Garden, Pathways of Wisconsin, CFGN

Susan Boldt—Slow Food Madison, Seed to Supper Project, CFGN

Rick Brooks—2005 Garden Crusader Award Winner-$500 for Conference Funding, UW-Madison Dept. of Comm. Service, CFGN

Dawn Burgardt—UW-Madison, CFGN

Mary Christison—Troy Community Garden

Shawn Eisele—CFGN

Reyna Gonzalez—Quann Community Garden

Karl Gutknecht—Reindahl Community Garden

Barbara Feeney—CAC Volunteer, Master Gardener

Nancy Fonzen—Aldo Leopold Nature Center Naturalist

Joan Laurion—Compostbasics, TM

Lisa Johnson—UW-Extension Dane County Horticulture Educator, CFGN

Beth Lucht—St. Paul Community Garden

James Luscher—CAC Volunteer

Mary Malischke—Sheboygan Community Garden, CFGN

Therese Malischke—Sheboygan Community Garden, CAC Volunteer Translator, UW-Madison

Amy Meinen—Nutrition Coordinator for the Nutrition and Physical Activity Program, State of WI Division of Public Health

Ka Moua – Quann Community Garden

Kazoua Moua—Troy Community Garden, CAC Volunteer Translator, UW-EX Dane Co. Nutrition Educator

Annette Nekola—Atwood Community Garden

Walt Novash—Troy Community Garden

Erin Parker—Aldo Leopold Nature Center Naturalist and Olbrich Gardens Children’s Garden

Katie Place—Gammon Community Garden, CAC Volunteer

Andrea Potter—Truax Community Garden, East Madison Community Center

Ron Renkoski—Reynolds Community Garden

Holly Strop—Reynolds Community Garden

Susanna Torres—Quann Community Garden, CAC Volunteer Translator

Cheryl Utke—Westside Christian School Garden

Briana Vang—Quann Community Garden, CAC Translator

Philip Vang—Quann Community Garden, CAC Volunteer Translator

Brad Wennen—Aldo Leopold Nature Center Naturalist

Jim Winkle—Quann Community Garden

Amy Workman—Aldo Leopold Nature Center Director

 

I sincerely apologize if any volunteers were left off of this list.  Please know that your help is greatly appreciated.

 

For more information on the Conference, its sponsors, community gardens, or other programs; please follow the links below or contact Ben using the information below.

 

Aldo Leopold Nature Center: www.naturenet.com/alnc/index.html

Community Action Coalition Food and Gardens Program: www.cacscw.org/food_gardens/index.htm

Community Food and Garden Network: www.cacscw.org/gardens/cfgn/index.htm

State of WI Division of Public Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity: http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/health/physicalactivity/index.htm

UW-Extension Dane Co. Horticulture Education: www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/dane/hort/index.htm

 

Be well,

 

Ben Sommers, Janet Parker, Joe Mathers, and Chris Brockel

CAC Food and Gardens Division

 

Greta Hansen

CAC Executive Director

 

 

Benjamin Sommers

Agency & Garden Technician

Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc.

1717 N. Stoughton Rd.

Madison, WI 53704-2605

(608) 246-4730 ext. 238

bens@...