Cumberland BC: The Cumberlander Articles Section
Local · 5th October 2009
Seeds
Members of the Cumberland Community Schools Society(CCSS) Environment Club started the new school year by holding a ‘feast’ and enjoying the harvest from their first community garden. After a Spring season of learning about planting seeds, garden prep and composting, and a Summer of taking turns with garden care, the group enjoyed salad and baked potatoes. These Cumberland Elementary students will be meeting weekly with co-ordinator Sue Loveless to continue to care for the garden. They will also be spending time learning about food preserving, watershed preservation, doing community clean-ups and working towards reducing waste in the school by starting a composting program and expanding the recycling program.
With the help of a substantial grant from the School Community Connections program, and local business sponsor Seeds Natural Food Market, CCSS has been able to supply the group with most of what they needed to revitalize the long-dormant community garden at the school. “It was really cool to grow our own vegetables and learn where some of our food comes from”, says one student participant. CCSS Coordinator Jeremy Grasby adds, “This is exactly the kind of program that Community Schools focuses on - community businesses, volunteers and participants coming together to strengthen our community through knowledge-sharing activities.” The group could still use some additional support, and provided the following ‘wish list’: Gardening tools, canning supplies, food dehydrator, and siding for a new garden shed. Volunteers are also welcomed. Donations can be made directly by contacting Sue Loveless at (250)336-8782.
Cumberland Community Schools facilitates educational, recreational, and cultural programs. It is one of three Community Schools in School District 71, Comox Valley. Students of the programs benefit from increased opportunities to enrich school curricula. At the same time, the community benefits from increased access to school facilities and a range of programs and support for all members of the community.
For more information, or to contribute to this program, or others that CCSS runs, please contact Jeremy Grasby at ccss.coordinatorgmail.com .
With the help of a substantial grant from the School Community Connections program, and local business sponsor Seeds Natural Food Market, CCSS has been able to supply the group with most of what they needed to revitalize the long-dormant community garden at the school. “It was really cool to grow our own vegetables and learn where some of our food comes from”, says one student participant. CCSS Coordinator Jeremy Grasby adds, “This is exactly the kind of program that Community Schools focuses on - community businesses, volunteers and participants coming together to strengthen our community through knowledge-sharing activities.” The group could still use some additional support, and provided the following ‘wish list’: Gardening tools, canning supplies, food dehydrator, and siding for a new garden shed. Volunteers are also welcomed. Donations can be made directly by contacting Sue Loveless at (250)336-8782.
Cumberland Community Schools facilitates educational, recreational, and cultural programs. It is one of three Community Schools in School District 71, Comox Valley. Students of the programs benefit from increased opportunities to enrich school curricula. At the same time, the community benefits from increased access to school facilities and a range of programs and support for all members of the community.
For more information, or to contribute to this program, or others that CCSS runs, please contact Jeremy Grasby at ccss.coordinatorgmail.com .