GrassRoots Garden aids
families with produce
The garden produced 30,000 pounds
of fresh organic produce for needy
families and food boxes last year
Aimee Rudin
Freelance Editor
Rows of cabbages, leeks, carrots and eggplants
cover the ground in blocks, creating a quilt of pro
duce and color on the plot of land behind the St
Thomas Episcopal Church on Coburg Road.
Crouched among the vegetables, Merry Bradley,
the coordinator of the GrassRoots Garden, deftly
brings in the harvest with a sharp set of clippers
and a small trowel. Around her, volunteers rang
ing in age from teenagers to retirees gather pro
duce, stir compost bins and mulch yard debris.
Bradley is die only full-time employee of the
garden, a division of FOOD for Lane County,
but the volunteer log posted on the front door
"We re filling in the gaps of
the food boxes with broccoli,
cauliflower and celery. Things
that give taste and substance
to soups and casseroles."
Merry Bradley
Coordinator, GrassRoots Garden
of the potting shed shows entries from 4,000 in
dividuals. Students and members of the Univer
sity's Urban Farm class, offered through the
landscape architecture program, donate their
time on an individual and group basis.
The garden produced 30,000 pounds of fresh
organic produce last year for low-income fami
lies and emergency food boxes, according to gar
den organizers.
"The things that we're growing at the garden
are staples, but they're not provided by FOOD,"
Bradley said. "We're filling in the gaps of the
food boxes with broccoli, cauliflower and celery.
Things that give taste and substance to soups
and casseroles."
Bradley added that if it weren't for the fresh
produce that the garden provides to FOOD for
Lane County, many of the food boxes would
consist entirely of canned good and government
subsidized starchy foods.
The GrassRoots Garden is one of three gar
dens operated under the FOOD for Lane Coun
ty umbrella. Together, the gardens cost about
$ 135,000 per year to run. But this year the gar
dens will have to operate on less, Bradley said.
FOOD for Lane County is currently operating
at a budget deficit and according to Bradley the
organization is looking to save money wherever
possible.
re looking to make cuts wherever they
can and we're on the chopping block," Bradley
said. "We have to find a way to make the garden
financially sustainable"
In order for the gardens to continue operat
ing next year, Bradley and the coordinators of
the Churchill Community Gardens and the
Youth Farm must raise $100,000 by June 30.
So far they have managed to raise about
$25,000 through fundraising, produce sales
and donations from public organizations and
private citizens.
On Oct. 15, the Lane County Board of Com
missioners sponsored the "big green house" at
the GrassRoots Garden by handing Bradley a
check for $1,000.
"Were acknowledging the important role that
the GrassRoots Garden has for our community,"
Board Chairman Peter Sorenson said in a state
ment. "As part of FOOD for Lane County's pro
grams, this largely volunteer effort provides nu
tritious, healthfully produced food for people in
need, year round."
Bradley is hoping that other large businesses,
individuals and government bodies follow Lane
County's lead.
Bradley said that gardens do more than pro
vide food and it is important for the community
to realize the garden gives just as much to the in
dividuals who volunteer as it does to the food
bank.
"It's very happy — very happy," she said.
"There's a lot of meaningful participation here.
People leave here feeling very positive."
The GrassRoots Garden is located at 1465
Coburg Rd. in Eugene. Volunteer hours are from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For
more information call FOOD for Lane County
at 343-2822.
Contact file freelance editor
at aimeerudin@dailyemerald.com.
RESPITE
continued from page 6C
Wilshire isn't able to make it home to San
Diego because flights are too expensive. She is
thankful that one of her friends will be coming
to visit, but she knows that it cannot replace be
ing home for the holiday.
Residence halls don't offer food services for
Thanksgiving weekend because the majority of
students are gone. Those who stay are left to
fend for themselves.
John Hollan, assistant director of Residence
Life, said most students are able to make the
most of their time while staying on campus dur
ing Thanksgiving break.
"Many of them get together in groups to
take advantage of the down time to go out to
meals and enjoy time socializing in Eugene,
which can be challenging during the academic
year," he said.
Another alternative to spending the weekend
alone that many students find appealing is stay
ing with a friend's family.
Abram Goodstein, a freshman from Alaska,
was able to find a friend to take him in.
"I'm really excited to go," he said. "It's really
strange not going home; I'm going somewhere
where I don't know what it's going to be like, but
I think it will be a good experience."
Regardless of whether students go home, the
long weekend is an opportunity to get some
much needed rest and relaxation before finals.
Kyle Harris is a freelance reporter for the Emerald.
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Preparing for the holidays
Anna Libb
Senior, theater
arts major
'For Thanksgiving
I'm going to
Seattle to see my
sister, and I'm
taking two of my
international
friends
with me.*
Students and faculty are busy
making plans for the holiday
season. Many are traveling
throughout the state or
country, while some spend
the holidays here in
Eugene. The holidays that
are celebrated vary from
person to person. Some
holidays include Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Kwanzaa
and Hanukkah.
— Lisa Catto
Theresa Lin
Senior, public
relations major
"I have family in
Maryland, so 1 plan
to go back there
during winter break
to visit them. I also
might visit friends
in New York and
Baltimore.*
Jonathon
Hogate
Sophomore,
pre-business
major
"This Thanksgiv
ing my mom will
probably make the
turkey, my aunt
will make the
ham, desserts are
split down tiie
middle and each
make a batch of
potato salad —
one has mayon
naise and one has
Miracle Whip."
r
Jim
Crosswhite
Associate
professor of
English
"At Christmas I will
sing Handel's
Messiah. It's like an
explosion of
surprising light in
the middle of
winter darkness.
When you sing it —
it changes your
mood."
Donella
Elizabeth
Alston
Office coordinator,
ethnic studies
"I have a friend that
has a solstice cele
bration every year.
To receive a gift at
the celebration, you
have to bring one.
Everyone is encour
aged to recycle
something — we're
trying not to be too
involved with the
consumer frenzy
this time of year."
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