The Charlotte Jewish News - August 2021 - Page 16
Bal Tashchit and Beyond: Summer in the Community Garden By Liz Wahls Summer in the Shalom Park Community Garden is peak produce time! Wander through the garden and you will see cherry tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, grapes, figs, and sunflowers along with mint, rosemary, and other herbs. Volunteers harvest the produce regularly for donation to Jewish Family Service’s (JFS) food pantry as well as come together
for monthly garden work days. Campers from Camp Mindy visit the garden to learn and to take care of the plants. Families walk through smelling the herbs and seeing how vegetables grow. The Shalom Park Community Garden is the most visible aspect of Shalom Green, the volunteer-led Shalom Park Environmental Initiative. The garden is a critical hub for environmental educational efforts and is prov-
ing to be a powerful tool for engaging community members. Bobbie Mabe, our garden coordinator, talks about the many ways people benefit from involvement with the garden. “Research shows that working with plants improves mood and decreases stress and anxiety,” she noted. Additional benefits include: Increased physical health through vitamin D exposure and
MCEWEN FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION @ Myers Park
Annual Memorial Service
SEPTEMBER 12 2021, 10:30 AM A COMMUNITY STAPLE AND TRADITION FOR OVER 150 YEARS Join us as we gather together with the Greater Charlotte Area clergies for our historic Annual Memorial Service. This is an outdoor event, rain or shine with a virtual option for home viewers. 1801 Statesville Ave, Charlotte, NC 28206
burning calories along with increased functional fitness; Healthier decisions about food choices, including adding more vegetables and fruits to the diet; Increased social wellness by engaging with new people on a common task and by providing healthy, fresh produce to those experiencing food insecurity; Increased knowledge of growing your own food and caring for a garden as well as learning new skills. For longtime volunteer Estelle Toby Spike, her support of the garden is motivated by the Jewish value of life. “If we are to give back to life, then the soil/soul is a fundamental place to start, to begin. To enrich the soil/soul/life as you do when you create an organic garden, then you are truly giving back to life. You are building a strong foundation.” For some, the garden provides a strong sense of community. Nathan, one of the garden’s young volunteers, age 10, says, “What I really like about working in the garden is that people are working together to help out
(Nathan and Norah Minchew)
the community. From weeding, watering, and harvesting, it really makes me happy to know that when we work together, we can do great things.” Roberta Rodgers, community liaison coordinator for JFS Charlotte, says “Our clients are always thrilled to receive fresh
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