Green Thumb Community GardenFeatured in South Sound Magazine

There’s something special about taking an empty lot full of rocks, weeds and cigarette butts and turning it into something beautiful, useful and life sustaining. It takes time, energy and patience. But in the end, it’s about more than harvesting fresh fruits, veggies and herbs in community gardens — it’s about growing stronger, better neighborhoods.

In 2008, there were about eight community gardens in Tacoma. Now there are 42 in some stage of development, according to Kristen McIvor, community gardening coordinator for the City of Tacoma and Pierce County. Many of the gardens are on city and metro parks property and some are on private land. “People have a large desire to learn and connect with food,” she said. “They are interested in fresh organic food.”

Read more about the Green Thumb Community Garden in the magazine article, link is provide below.


http://southsoundmag.com/2011/06/01/growing-together


Also, we have another new garden in the neighborhood, the McKinley Hill Community Garden was completed last Saturday. It is located near East 34th and East M Streets, not far from the old Rogers Elementary School.

TEAM (Tacoma Eastside Action Membership) is looking for volunteers to help support their upcoming (July 16th event at Portland Avenue Park). And, be sure to talk to your neighbors and invite friendsand family to this summer event.
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First Creek NeighborsMay 2011 Meeting

First Creek Neighbors

Invites You to Attend Our Monthly Meeting

6:30pm, Wednesday, May 4
The Portland Ave. Community Center
3513 Portland Avenue


TOPIC

Preview of the presentation about First Creek Neighbors and the Green Thumb Garden that will be made at Neighborhoods USA Conference towards the end of May

http://www.nusa.org/


Find out about what's going on in the First Creek Neighborhood, meet your neighbors, learn about the First Creek Watershed and our Community Gardens

Please join us!

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The results are in! First Creek Neighbors came in Third Place nationally.
Very good showing for our community group and for Tacoma.

The New Directions for Livable Communities Award

Cascade Land Conservancy Board of Directors recently annouced "The New Directions for Livable Communities Award." The award “celebrates the innovation and cooperation required to create great communities and conserve great landscapes.”

This year the award is being given to First Creek Neighbors, The Puyallup Tribe of Indians and The City of Tacoma. The award is for the strong partnership and leadership in launching and implementing the First Creek Neighborhood transformation and engaging the broader community to make the First Creek Neighborhood safer, cleaner and more attractive.

Four other awards to other organizations and people (including our Lifetime Achievement Award to Congressman Norm Dicks) will be given during the Cascade Land Conservancy Pierce County Conservation Awards Lunch on Thursday, September 16, 2010, from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Hotel Murano, Bicentennial Pavilion. This is an important event where over 500 community leaders come to celebrate conservation and building great communities – the largest conservation gathering in the South Sound.

Additional information will be posted soon on how you can attend the luncheon.

New Directions for a Livable Communities Award Video on You Tube:
To view the video right click on link and open in a New Window

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1hkQyssO7A
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