MISSION STATEMENT The Community Garden will provide food for the hungry and encourage members of the community to participate in the fight against world hunger. Jeremiah's Plot - West Plano Presbyterian Church's Community Garden Project By Betsy (Calvert) Corlew The cover story in the January issue of Presbyterian’s Today magazine tackled the issue of world hunger. Taking its lead the Journey Sunday School class reviewed what we, as a local caring community, are -- and could do to help. At West Plano Presbyterian Church (WPPC), local hunger assistance is a vital part of our mission through our Food Basket Collection for the benefit of Plano Food Pantry, along with our annual participation in the Crop Walk under the dedicated leadership of Ken George and Dave Noble. Still, as we gazed out the western window of the Fellowship Hall, we felt we could do more. Thus grew the idea of sowing seeds of hope and health by tending the land on which we grow in faith and by inviting our neighbors to help create a Community Garden. The garden we envision will produce produce (couldn’t help myself ... sorry) and cultivate relationships beyond our doors. We hope to nourish those in need of food while reaping the benefits of camaraderie with our neighbors. Preliminary exploration into community gardening sent a small group (Priscilla Kimery, Joyce Jones, Richard Thompson, and Bill and Betsy Calvert) to Pleasant Grove to visit the Community Garden at Episcopal Church of our Savior in Dallas. This garden has been tended to with care for five years and has donated nearly 20,000 pounds of fresh food to their local food pantry. Richard Thompson also visited the Community Garden at The Community Unitarian Universalist Church in East Plano (who, by the way, used to be our close neighbors to the south, on Custer Road). Betsy Corlew, Bill Calvert, Priscilla Kimery, Joyce Jones, & Richard Thompson researching garden possibilities, Feb 2009 You’re currently reading the third revision of this article, originally intended to be an introduction to the idea of establishing a community garden at WPPC. In February, Session granted representatives from the Journey class permission to explore this idea. Priscilla Kimery, Richard Thompson, Debbie Stubbe, Martin Taylor, and I have been bombarded with interest, support from inside and outside the WPPC community, grant opportunities, and other areas. Master Gardener (really ... that’s what the state of Texas says), Debbie Stubbe, pointed out the psychological need to build the garden in time to plant a late spring crop. Richard Thompson tirelessly researched pricing, visited gardens, and staked out a garden site. Priscilla Kimery researched and contacted community gardeners and other interested parties ... and has even secured muscle in the form of Boy Scouts to assist in building the garden. And I keep rewriting this article! Note -- every community we contacted has waiting lists full of gardeners wanting “in.” If we build it, they will come. It’s time to get our hands dirty. Session granted permission for the establishment of a Community Garden at their meeting on March 23, 2009. The management team appointed by Session (Priscilla Kimery, Debbie Stubbe, Richard Thompson, Martin Taylor, and Betsy Calvert) seeks your help to grow this opportunity. Our Community Garden aligns with WPPC’s goals by providing a mission outlet where the food we grow in the designated food pantry plots -- and the 10% harvest tithe we collect from all participating gardeners will help feed the hungry in our community and provide an opportunity for the giving of gifts of talents by all. This garden presents an educational opportunity for us by providing an environment where our neighbors and the children of this community can practice organic gardening techniques and learn eco-justice. The Community Garden demonstrates care, showing guardianship and respect to and nurturing of the earth provided by our wonderful, benevolent Father. Gardening with our neighbors Reach(es) Out to them as we invite all members of our community to share in a healthy and charitable endeavor. Finally, we hope this garden is a recreational occasion as families and friends, old and new, enjoy fresh air and exercise as we help it grow.