While gardening is one of the most rewarding and therapeutic activities, the time, labor and financial costs can make it unrealistic at home. But that doesn’t mean you can’t experience all the benefits of this earthy activity — volunteering with the Summit Community Gardens and EATS is literally one of the best ways to see the fruits of your labor.
This year, the Summit Community Gardens and EATS has set up a variety of summer volunteer hours to accommodate all schedules. Each week, they host Tuesday evening (5 – 6 p.m.), Wednesday morning (7 – 9 a.m.) or Thursday lunchtime “power hour” (12 – 1 p.m.) volunteer opportunities, hoping those interested can schedule gardening into their otherwise busy lives. Can’t do a weekday? Every second Saturday of the month (9 – 11 a.m.) is also blocked off for volunteers.
Wednesday morning July 5, volunteers were busy at work. “We harvested over 21 pounds of produce — lettuce, radishes, chard and kale,” said Megan Garner, the volunteer coordinator, about the morning’s progress.
Groups are also welcome to schedule times in the garden, whether it’s for an extended family activity, team building or staff outing. “We would like to get more groups because we can conquer large projects,” says Garner. She mentions that one group volunteer session was able to build 10 picnic tables. Groups can work with Garner to reserve different times in the garden: “If groups are interested in coming, we will work around their schedule.”
With three part-time staffers, volunteers are an essential part of the Summit Community Gardens and EATS success. “We heavily depend on the volunteers,” says Garner.
Delegated to help with maintenance tasks such as weeding, mulching and harvesting, volunteers contribute to the garden’s outreach process. The produce grown in the garden is given back to the community, says Garner, through partnerships with People’s Heath Clinic, where produce can be prescribed to patients, and the Christian Center, whose mobile Food Farmacy delivers the food to those residents.
Summer work in the garden will continue weekly through September. Volunteer workers are encouraged to sign up on the website and “wear sunscreen, closed toe shoes, and bring work gloves, water, and any snacks that you may need.”
