In this edition:
1. This Saturday at the GardenHouse: Tie Dying!!!!!!!!! PLUS Complete Street Kick-Off
2. GardenHouse Opportunities (CSA, Garden-in-a-Box, Student Farmer, Kid’s Time)
3. ANC Volunteer Opportunities (Market, Events at the Park on May 30th , and more)
4. Rain Barrel Sale on May 16
5. BWL Green Power Forum featuring Board Chair Frank Lain on May 19
6. Plan to spend the entire day at Hunter Park on May 30th for the Hunter Park Music Fest (3:30 – 8:30 pm) , Family Fun Walk (1:30 – 3:30 pm) , GardenHouse Tours as part of Be A Tourist in Your Own Town (11 am – 7 pm) , and Grand Opening of the Hunter Park Pool and all day swim (12:30 pm – 7 pm)
7. Our Quote of the Week
1. Join us this Saturday in the Hunter Park Community GardenHouse for Tie-Dying
Add color to yourself as you garden this summer! Come Tie-Dye your own white t-shirt, tank top or white handkerchief in the GardenHouse this Saturday. Fun for all ages. Join Maggie & Lily between 2-3:30pm with the clothing or cloth to which you want to add some color!
Date: Saturday, May 16th
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Place: Hunter Park Community GardenHouse
Also at the Park this Saturday is Complete Streets Campaign Kick-Off
Learn more about the concept of Complete Streets and about Lansing’s Complete Streets Campaign. Hear from inspirational speakers about the importance of creating a transportation network that can be safely used by people of all ages and abilities. Learn about Lansing’s Non-Motorized Transportation Network Plan. Learn about proposed policy changes that would make designing streets for all users an integral part of street design— to accompany CSO and other road work—rather than an afterthought. Attendance at this event will serve as a public “showing of support” for this cause. If you care, we need you to show up. There will be a BBQ at 1:30 pm, followed by a press conference at 2:00 pm. Bring your picnic basket and your enthusiasm.
2) Summer opportunities in the GardenHouse! Call K’Anna at 999-3910 or email her at kannab@allenneighborhoodcenter.org for information or to sign up!
Community Supported Agriculture Project or CSA
We are still accepting applications for the few CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares.
For a little money up front OR a combination of a little money and your time OR for 5-6 hrs of your work time, you could enjoy a grocery bag of fresh, organic foods from the GardenHouse all summer long!
Garden in a Box
We still have a few of our beautiful 2’ X’ 2’ X 1’ cedar boxes to provide a household where there is limited income or gardening skill or mobility. Call to apply for this free manageable introduction to gardening. Our Youth Service Corps will deliver it, filled it with rich soil, organic fertilizer, and veggies that you select (tomatoes, peppers, herbs, etc.). They even check back every couple of weeks through the season to see how you and your box are getting along!
Student Farmer Program An employment opportunity for young Eastsiders!
Our summer Student Farmer program is taking applications from local youth 12 to 17 yrs old. A paid position to be involved in up to 9 work visits to area farms to learn more about growing foods and farming locally.
KIDS TIME We are excited to pilot a drop-in youth program in the GardenHouse called KIDS TIME! When the sign is out, about 3-4 days a week, between 4-5 pm, your 6-10 year old child can join in the fun and learning and gardening. Permission slips are available at the GardenHouse and at ANC.
3) ANC Volunteer Opportunities
Dear Friends,
If you have some time available to volunteer, please consider the following:
What: Allen St. Farmers Market
When: Soft Opening May 20th; Every Wednesday 2:30-7
Other: No experience necessary. Volunteers would assist setting up tents, make sure the parking lot is ready, meet and greet, and bring the tents down when the market is over. Ideal if the volunteers could make a commitment of a few months.
What: Hunter Park Music Fest/Be a Tourist in Your Own Town (and view the GardenHouse)/Pool Opening, Family Fun Walk
When: May 30th all day long
Other: This event will be an all day event and volunteers will be working in shifts to help set up tents, help set up GardenHouse workshops, assist with kids’ activities and cooking demonstrations, and also assist in clean up. This is a great opportunity for individuals or for any size group to come help out with this fun event!
What: In House Farmers Market Volunteer
When: By May 20th or sooner!
Other: The neighborhood center is open during the farmers market for patrons to use the facilities and to cool down in the summer heat. In order to keep the center open until 7 pm (market closing) we need a few people with friendly personalities who don’t mind sitting in the center to keep it open while the public comes in and out. Volunteers would come in 4hr shifts (1-4 and 5-8) and we need at least 2 volunteers on a shift, so bring a friend! We ask that the volunteers make a commitment of at least a few months.
What: Someone who likes to dress up
When: May 16th
Other: The neighborhood center will be participating in Lansing’s 150th parade and as a representation to our Farmers Market we have a few vegetable costumes. We are looking for volunteers to dress up in them; you have a choice of corn, tomato, basil and other various vegetables. This will be quite a fun and memorable experience for all participants.
What: Volunteer Receptionist
When: Thursday or Friday 1-5pm
Other: A friendly personality to greet people when they walk in the center and preferably a knowledge base on community resources and phone etiquette. It would be great if volunteer could make a commitment for a couple months.
What: Bread Basket Pickup (to help us collect donated bread for Breadbasket)
When: Tuesdays 9-10:00
Other: A big truck or a pick up truck would be preferable and something that can seat at least 3 people. Mileage will be reimbursed.
For more details on the opportunities listed above or many others, check out the volunteer page on the Center’s website at: http://www.allenneighborhoodcenter.org/?page_id=50
4) Rain Barrel Sale
Courtesy of the City of Lansing and the Regional Recycling Coordinating Committee
This spring, take a step towards reducing your carbon footprint! The City of Lansing in conjunction with the Regional Recycling Coordinating Committee (R2C2) is pleased to host a rain barrel distribution event on Saturday, May 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event will be held in the parking lot of Dunham’s Sporting Goods in Lansing on East Michigan Avenue. R2C2 will wholesale the new Systern rain barrel, which will be sold on a “first come, first served” basis for $49 (tax included), less than half of the retail price. The 55-gallon barrels are made from up to 50% post-consumer plastic, and are designed to resist degradation by UV light, and to withstand freezing temperatures.
In the United States, outdoor water use alone can makeup between 25% to 58% of the overall domestic water demand. Rainwater harvesting can drastically reduce this demand preserving municipal water supply for potable drinking water. As global water supplies diminish, rainwater harvesting will become a crucial water conservation practice. One inch of rain falling on a 1,000 square foot roof produces as much as 600 gallons of rainwater! The use of a rain barrel also helps reduce water pollution and soil erosion.
Only cash or checks will be accepted. For more information contact the City of Lansing’s Waste Reduction Services at 517/483-4400 or recycle@lansingmi.gov.
5) BWL Board Chair Frank B. Lain to host ‘Green Power Forum’ Lansing Board of Water & Light Board of Commissioners Chair Frank B. Lain will
meet with BWL customers to hear their concerns during a first-ever BWL “Green Power
Forum” on May 19.
“We know our customers are interested in renewable energy and energy
conservation,” Lain said. “As Chair of the BWL board, I believe it’s important to reach
out to our customers and have a dialogue with them on green energy, as well as other
topics related to this public utility. I encourage customers to attend this forum, where we
can learn from them.”
Details of the BWL’s “Green Power Forum” are as follows:
When: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Tuesday May 19.
Where: BWL Boardroom, 1232 Haco Drive, Lansing.
Why: An opportunity for customers to meet Chairman Lain and discuss informally
renewable energy, energy conservation, or any questions
6) Hunter Park Activities-All Day Saturday, May 30!
- Hunter Park Music Fest from 3:30 – 8:30 pm, featuring Root Doctor, Tom Jayne and the Nomads, Nervous But Excited, and P.h.i.l.t.h.y. Free, of course, and loads of fun!
- Family Fun Walk, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (which is also sponsoring all musicians for the Fest!). Between 1:30-3:30 pm, the first 200 people to complete four laps of the Hunter Park Path (approximately 2 miles) will receive a $5 token for use at our Allen Street Farmers Market.
- Grand Opening of the beautiful new Hunter Park Pool and Splash Pad at 12:30 pm, with open swim until 7 pm.
- Our lovely Hunter Park GardenHouse is a stamped site that day for Be A Tourist in Your Own Town. Come enjoy tours, tastings, and fun workshops from 11 am-7 pm
7. Quote of the Week
It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy.
Mother Teresa
Join the ANC staff every Friday at noon on the Hunter Park Path and walk rapidly (or leisurely though still happily) with us!
