A pile of dirt. Lumber. Bags of compost. Galvanized steel tubs. Nothing, really, but a hodge podge on a lawn.
But then, the trucks and cars arrive. High school students, retirees, moms with their kids, drill-wielding dads. A man in a wheelchair, another with a cane. Someone fires up a barbecue and turns on some music. It’s a party. Little kids play on the swings and supervise the grownups. Big kids haul dirt in wheelbarrows and hammer lumber to make raised beds. Men drill holes in the tubs, fill them with gravel, dirt and compost. In two hours, nothing really becomes something wonderful. The Island Terrace apartment complex has a community garden.
On Saturday, a dozen Bainbridge High School students from the amazing Camp Siberia program provided muscle, equipment and good humor. Other hardworking friends of the project included Debbi Lester and her father-in-law, Richard Vancil (husband of Councilor Debbie Vancil, who checked in on the work too), my husband Dan Mallove, Councilwoman and farmer extraordinaire Hilary Franz and her son Nathaniel. Island Terrace manager Renee’ Levesque organized the tenant-gardeners, who not only worked on the garden, but fed the crew a tasty barbecue potluck. A special shout-out to Helen Loleas who put together the potluck and rounded up donations from local businesses. There are pictures of the fun and a couple of Youtube videos (courtesy of Debbi Lester) after the jump.
Endless thanks to all the volunteers. Also thanks to:
North Mason Fiber Company in Belfair for donating 30 bags of their wonderful Oly Mountain Fish Compost (and thanks to CeAnn Parker of Bay Hay for arranging it!)
Pro Build Lumber on High School Road for donating all the lumber.
Bainbridge Gardens for donating plants and seeds.
Rite Aid for donations of seeds and garden supplies.
Home Depot in Poulsbo for $150 in garden supplies.
Town & Country for food and the loan of tables and chairs.
Safeway on Bainbridge for a contribution of food.
Camp Siberia, a program for high school students who go to Novosibirsk, Siberia every summer to serve as camp counselors for Russian orphans. Also thanks to Ellin Spenser, Camp Siberia adviser, who got the word out to the student volunteers. And thanks to my son, Jake Mallove, who made sure lots of his friends showed up!
We’re still hoping for community donations for the costs of the topsoil, the wheelchair accessible garden containers and other expenses. Island Terrace is the only low income apartment complex on Bainbridge that’s open to all ages. Donations are tax-deductible and should be made to Housing Resources Board, P.O. box 11391, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.
You can see more pictures in an article by Sean Roach on the Bainbridge Review’s website.
Madeline Sheldon has some help from a young gardener.
Camp Siberians, l-r: Jake Mallove, Lauren Greenawalt, Chloe Dale, Grace Willits, Connor Fling
Susan Sivitz brings her mom, Ailene, Mother's Day plants for her new garden space.
Some of the gardening crew.
Steve Gardener?
Ha. Journalist wit.
Chance, the Gardener. Sleeper’s wit.
Dear Friends at Legacy Management and Housing Resources Board: It is wonderful to see your vision of public housing in a sustainable economy begin to sprout!
What a splendid idea to invite the larger community to help you in your mission. The volunteer community gardening party graciously hosted through your diligent efforts provided a safe environment for everyone to participate.
Isn’t that what habitable and dignified housing is all about? What a terrific concept, helping people feed themselves and grow flowers in a noncompetitive way that promotes healthy communities and self-respect too.
I see people from my windows in the garden that I have not seen for years in the outdoor common public areas happily gardening. There were not enough garden patches this year to go around. Hopefully, next year, we can include everyone who wanted to participate.
I heard that all Housing Resources Board facilities have community gardens, but Island Terrace tenants are the only tenants who use their garden. Maybe we could invite the other tenants to come and see and show them how we do it!
As a token of respect to the many volunteers and private donors, I pledged 5% of my monthly food expenditures for one year as a contribution to their generous thoughtfulness.
Grocery purchases for this month are by necessity completed. My monthly expenses for food were $197.87 (not including food for my service dog). Five percent equals $9.8935, which I rounded off to $9.89.
Thanks again for all your hard work showing us how to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Until next month, your friend at Island Terrace, Steven Ziolkowski.
PS. As you know, I am legally awarded communicative assistance, including help with written forms. I will put my check in an envelope for the onsite manager to pass into your safe hands. Please note on the check that my contribution is restricted to the Island Terrace Community Garden, specifically for the reimbursement of those private donors who loaned the Community Garden the money to get off the ground. If the loan has been satisfied, then I wish the money held for Island Terrace Community Garden expenses next year. Thanks again. Steven the Gardener
PPS. Will you be circulating cards or a letter that you send to the donors listed above for the tenants and their kids to sign in recognition of and gratitude for these bountiful and thoughtful contributions? STG.
Cool!, I’ve just started gardening from my wheelchair, so found this quite an interesting read!