Thursday, August 17, 2000

Green thumbs, warm hearts come together

Contributed Photo

Local youngsters take part in Plant a Row for the Hungry at the Botanical Gardens, which is overseen by the Nueces County Master Gardeners. The Fall Children’s Garden, to be held from Aug. 26 to mid-December, will once again feature this service campaign.

Eight-year-old Amanda Michelle Hansen had never visited Loaves and Fishes until she and fellow members of Girl Scout Brownie Troop 6016 stopped by in April to drop off fresh produce they'd grown themselves.
   "I saw the homeless people lining up for lunch and I got sad thinking that their families must miss them," Amanda said. "But I also felt happy because we're helping people. All people need food."
   Amanda, a fourth-grader at Most Precious Blood Catholic school, was so moved by that visit that she doubled her efforts fertilizing, weeding and watering at Plant a Row for the Hungry. The project, which concluded in mid-June, is the newest component of the annual Children's Garden held at the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and overseen by the Nueces County Master Gardeners. The Fall Children's Garden, to be held from Aug. 26 to mid-December, will once again feature this service campaign.
   Among the vegetables Amanda and her fellow Brownies harvested and donated to Loaves and Fishes earlier this year were tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, squash, potatoes, lettuce, radishes and carrots.
   "This was perfect because we not only wanted to get our Brownies interested in nature and ecology, but we wanted to get them involved in a service project," said Carolyn Goodloe, co-leader of the Brownie troop and botanical gardens volunteer. "I think it's a good way for young children to realize the need of other people."
   Plant a Row for the Hungry is modeled after a public service campaign of the Garden Writers Association of America, an organization of professional communicators in the lawn and garden industry. Nueces County Master Gardeners also encourages residents to plant a row for the hungry in their own backyard gardens. Local gardeners needing help transferring what they harvest to local soup kitchens can contact the Nueces County Master Gardeners at the botanical gardens.
   To sign up for the upcoming Plant a Row for the Hungry project and to get information about Children's Garden fees, call the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens at 852-2100.