Carolina Campus Community Garden Advisory Board Minutes
June 25, 2014
PRESENT: Alice Ammerman, Molly DeMarco, Lois Douglas-Alston, Nancy Easterling, Christina Lebonville, Claire Lorch, Arlene Medder, Tara Smith, and Victoria Whitfield
INTRODUCTIONS: Three new board members were introduced and welcomed: Lois Douglass-Alston and Tara Smith (Delegates on the Garden Committee of the Employee Forum) and Victoria Whitfield (Housekeeping)
UPDATES
Greenhouse: Nancy and Claire will be meeting with NCSU Professor, Julie Sherk on July 8th to strategize next steps for finalizing model for greenhouse, identifying a design builder and getting greenhouse built. Also want to talk with faculty from business school to see if they might be interested in helping to market a prototype to other community gardens
Tool Shed: We are planning to build a 10’ X 12’ shed http://livingoutfitters.com/10×12-shed-kit-select-with-cedar-bevel-siding to be located in the back of the garden but within the deer fencing. We have outgrown the current shed located on the corner of Cameron and Wilson and also need to be able to store a lawn mower (among other equipment) now that we are responsible for mowing a substantial area of grass. We will be submitting a Zone Compliance Permit application to the Town of Chapel Hill and going before the Historic District Commission on Aug 14th to get approval to build the shed. We will also need to get approval from the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the University.
Second Shift Housekeepers Volunteer Two housekeepers and one zone manager recently attended a Wednesday workday. They got a lot of work done and seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully, others more will follow.
Employee Forum Retreat-We did a slide show presentation of the garden and also had an instructor talk about the impact of visiting the garden on her students. As a result of the presentation, several members of the Forum signed on to serve on the Garden Committee. Lois mentioned that it was really helpful “to see the business of the garden”, its philosophy and the energy behind it.
Funding-Some good news on the funding front: We recently received word on a grant from Strowd Roses for $6,000; we also got $600 from the Chapel Hill Garden Club after participating in the Chapel Hill Spring Garden Tour (where we had new 171 visitors to the CCCG!); and thanks to Steve Smith of Smith Turf, a UNC alumnus, we were given about $500 worth of drip irrigation for our expanded garden!
PARTICIPATION AT DISTRIBUTIONS- Claire raised concerns about the relatively
low number of third shift housekeepers that attend the distributions lately, even
though there are more housekeepers working that shift than any others and there
have been more coming in the past. One factor may be that the zone managers from
the first and second shift bring their staff to the distributions while third shift are
expected to drive themselves (-this may change with a new policy to charge
for parking at night. Claire suggested holding off any more discussion of this issue
until Everette Deloney comes to the meeting. He is a third shift zone manager who
will be joining our advisory board.
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT-Claire reported that she could use more volunteers
this summer and eager for recruitment ideas. She mentioned that she has put an
“ad” on the Carolina Center for Public Service’s listserv that goes out to students and
staff and that they recently presented to the Faculty Council and made a plea for
volunteers there. The following suggestions were made:
- Consider approaching Housekeeping again but not in the summer at least for first shift since that is the busiest time of year for them. Victoria (or Vicki) offered to talk with her zone manager about the possibility of the Day Porters coming out to the garden to tour and work one morning.
- Provide brochures and offer to give a tour to Newman Center parishioners Lois, who attends Newman mentioned that Father John will be retiring and that the new folks coming in are likely to be very supportive of the garden. It was also suggested that we include the important role of the Newman Center (in storing our food) on our brochure, website, etc.
- Arlene mentioned that the next InTouch (distributed in the Daily Tarheel) will have an article on the changes in the garden, so will help get the word out.
- It was suggested that the Gazette might want to do an article on the team building aspect of working in the garden and interview some Law School staff members that have come to the garden as a group two years now.
- We should also consider putting something in the Sustainability listserv.
COMPOST MANAGER– Claire briefly mentioned the need for someone to serve as a
backup for Linden (our Compost Queen) when she is not available. This person
could also help coordinate efforts with the Carolina Dining Service and the
Residence halls that will be contributing some of their compost to the CCCG staring
this fall.
UPCOMING EVENTS
o Plex4Kids July 11th (10 sixth-tenth graders from Hillsborough summer camp)
o Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness Program July 30th (15 -20 ninth – twelfth graders)
o APPLES Service Learning Initiative Aug 14th (10 -12 UNC Freshmen)
o Office of Student Wellness Aug 15th (8 staff and 8 grad students)
o Family Weekend Sept 6th (3:00 – 4:00 p.m.)
o Week of Welcome Aug 20th (4:00 – 6:00 p.m.)
NEXT MEETING-August 27th