AMERICORPS VISTAOHIO CAMPUS COMPACT

SUMMER 2012

Kyra Lammers

Lia Crosby

Glenn Sutula

The Salvation ArmyNewark, Ohio

Helped to prepare over 500 USDA Summer Lunches three days every week

Helped to distribute produce at the bi-weekly “Fooderama”

Helped to prepare and serve between 75-100 hot lunches at their soup kitchen three days every week

Began paperwork for a new summer lunch site in Buckeye Lake, Ohio

Glenn, Kyra, and Lia pass out fresh produce at “Fooderama” at the Salvation Army.July 24, 2012

Steps for the Future:

Continue to distribute large amounts of produce at Fooderama

Be cautious with produce: fresh food goes bad quickly. If all produce is not distributed, use it immediately in the kitchen, or find another outlet for distribution.

Licking County Health Department Newark, Ohio

Help teach the “Grow It, Try It, Like It” curriculum in two local day cares to children ages three-five years old

Help to purchase and prepare fresh fruits and vegetables prior to lessons at day cares

Lia hands out spinach to pre-schoolers as part of the “Grow It, Try It, Like It” program, while Glenn hands out cheese and Kyra encourages children to try the vegetable

July 18, 2012

Steps for the Future:

Try harder to obtain local produce for the “Grow It, Try It, Like It” program. Farmers markets and the Salvation Army in

Newark are great places to start. Local famers may also be interested in

becoming involved with the program.

Croton Community GardenCroton, Ohio

Helped create a new community garden! Hosted an ice cream social to promote

the garden Helped to create a summer lunch

program at the Croton Community Center

Facilitated garden work with children after the daily lunch program

Created compost bins and taught gardeners proper composting techniques

Lia and Glenn take a break from weeding at the Croton Garden (all those weeds behind them were gone shortly after this picture was taken!)

June 18, 2012

Before: the bushes, weeds, and mainly nettles taking over the left side of the fence.

June 12, 2012

After: the beautiful, clean fence!June 12, 2012

The clean fence as viewed from outside the garden!

June 8, 2012

The tools that we used to clear the weeds… without a budget, we had to be resourceful!

June 8, 2012

Kyra and Nick, one of the children participating in the summer lunch program, help weed!July 9, 2012

Steps for the Short-Term Future: Continue to supply water to the garden. Most importantly, the community

must become active and involved with the garden. A garden requires daily weeding, watering, harvest and overall maintenance. Find a group—perhaps a church youth group, or boyscouts—who would be willing to dedicate time to the garden every day.

Steps for the Long-Term Future: Canvas neighborhoods close to the garden to find a house

willing to let the garden use its gutter for a rain barrel. Contact Chris Ramsey once the house has agreed

Contact the Salvation Army in Newark to begin paperwork about a state-funded summer lunch program for summer 2013. If you are denied, try to incorporate the garden produce into the

Summer Lunch Program for 2013. Incorporate garden education and awareness into the

summer lunch program. Teach children how to properly weed and water, how to identify ripe produce, etc.

Identify a person or group of people who would be interested in building a shed and a new bed in the garden—perhaps boyscouts looking for an Eagle Scout project?

Get in contact with the Johnstown PNB once a group has been identified, and discuss options for funding with Ron (PNB)

6th Street and Growing GardensNewark, Ohio

Created and posted instructive signs detailing proper composting techniques

Created and posted information about taking donated produce and provided information about local food pantries for those in need

Created a system for asking for and receiving help through the Garden Angels program

Kyra and Lia highlight the increased interest in composting at the 6th Street Garden.July 24,

2012

Kyra and Glenn show off the signs made for the 6th Street Garden entrances.July 24, 2012

Steps for the Future:

Oversee composting. Someone needs to be in charge of mixing and taking care of the compost. Despite signs detailing proper techniques, the current compost is out of control.

Garden on the Square (CTEC)Newark, Ohio

Tracked volunteer data for the CSA program

Harvested and distributed produce for CSA members

Weighed and tracked harvested produce Assisted with second plantings,

watering, and weeding, etc.

Kyra and Lia hold the first harvest of the season at the Garden on the Square.

June 14, 2012

Steps for the Future:

Find someone to take over the distribution of produce to CSA members.

Find someone to track amounts of produce distributed to CSA members.

Poll members about what produce would be desired for next season that wasn’t available this year.

Inform the members next season that 5 hours of volunteer work is absolutely required, and enforce this rule.

Sharing the HarvestGranville, Ohio

Collected donated produce, dairy products, bread, and canned goods from the Granville Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning

Delivered donated food to the Salvation Army, the YES Club, and the Sparta Coffeehouse in Newark, Ohio

Kyra and Glenn pose with the four volunteers from the Sharing the Harvest Program behind the 207 pounds of food collectedJuly 28, 2012

Steps for the Future:

Continue to distribute produce to The Salvation Army, the YES Club, and Sparta

Connect the farmers and the organizations! Try this by contacting S.A., YES Club, and Sparta and getting interested volunteers to the Granville Farmer’s Market. This way, members of the organizations could directly interact with the farmers who are donating their harvests.

EVENTS!

Fourth of July Parade- Granville, Ohio Ice Cream Social- Croton, Ohio Kickin’ Ash Splash Pool Party- Heath,

Ohio

Summer Associates Kyra and Lia stand in front of the Growing Green Together 4th of July Float with VISTA Coral Breuer.

July 4, 2012

Our float won 1st Place in the Commercial Division!

July 4, 2012

Kyra, Lia, and Glenn hold the sign they painted for the Croton Garden, adorned with local children’s handprints at the beginning of the Ice Cream Social in Croton.

July 11, 2012