“We have so many hamper, pantry, and backpack programs available begging for donations that they simply cannot keep up with the demand,” Walker told Fraser Valley Today.
She said she decided it was time to stop the madness and find solutions to eliminate the need for food supports.
“In this day and age, and while we are located in one of the most fertile sections of the Province, it is unacceptable to continue to function in this manner, and let’s get children excited about the ability to supplement food sources by growing container gardens,” she said.
While both Fantasy Farms and Translucent Publicity have limited resources, they were thrilled to learn that one of the local Rotary Chapters stepped up to provide partial funding so that they could have a portable hand-washing station. The unit is small in stature to accommodate accessibility and children’s heights.
Rotarian Corbin Bailey said, “The Rotary Club of Chilliwack is proud to present a $1,000 grant to the Oasis Gardening Initiative to help purchase their portable hand washing station. Debbie and her team have a passion for helping families experiencing food insecurities and passing on their knowledge of practical gardening to children and adults in the community, which are things we always hope to support. We hope this hand washing station will help bring a great experience to all of the future garden students.”
Plans for next year include a monthly event from March to October that will teach kids how to start, harvest and seed for seasons to come.
The Nov. 8 event is free to the public. There’s limited seating, and registration is required. Children do need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To register for this free event, please email your name and all participants along with choice of times to GardeningInitiative@gmail.com. Should anyone wish to participate by volunteering, providing product, or support financially, please contact Debbie Walker at debbiewalker3456@gmail.com. Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063670865572 for more information.
Comments are closed.