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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 24, 2005 Reya Glass, 6, of Talent, waters vegetable sprouts at an organic garden created through grants given to Peace House in Ashland as part of an effort to battle hunger in Oregon. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Ashland Peace Garden brings love to the table By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Under a glorious spring sun, 6-year-old Reya Glass scattered lettuce seeds Monday, sowing far more than the makings of a great salad. Soon, those seeds will sprout and grow, joining dozens of other fruits and vegetables in the Walker Peace Garden, a burgeoning effort to eradicate hunger — one family at a time. Reya’s mom, Leisa Glass, 34, is one of two gardeners hired by Ashland’s Peace House, which recently received more than $20,000 from the Oregon Community Foundation to sustain and expand a pilot project started last year. The funds were part of nearly $1.6 million distributed to Southern Oregon nonprofit groups from the Reed and Carolee Walker Fund. By June, Glass plans to select three local families to participate in the "Seeds of Hope" garden mentoring program, which aims to teach low-income folks how to grow their own food to boost nutrition and stretch their budgets. Advertisement At the same time, she and fellow gardener Shelley Elkovich, 39, will dig and plant and water and weed the 62-by-48-foot dirt plot donated by Ashland’s Willow Wind Community Learning Center. "Last year, we harvested 550 pounds of produce," Glass estimated. "This year we could easily double it — or even triple it." From strawberries to string beans and broccoli to beets, nearly all of the organic produce they raised was used in the weekly free meals Peace House holds for the homeless — and anyone else who’s hungry. Along the way, some 80 local schoolkids participated in hands-on gardening workshops that included not only practical advice, but also thoughtful discussions of the causes and solutions for poverty. "There’s really no reason anyone should be hungry," said Linda Richards, 41, the Peace House staff member who’s coordinating the project. The effort began last year when Peace House, a nonprofit agency, received about $15,000 from the first year of the OCF’s Walker Fund. From the start, the Peace Garden caught the interest and enthusiasm of funders, said Amy Cuddy, local director of fund. Those charged with carrying out the wishes of Carolee Walker, an avid gardener, were particularly pleased with the proposal. "One of the things we were so excited about was it was a chance to introduce children to something she loved and also help people with food," Cuddy said. Other area funders and businesses were attracted easily to the effort. Peace House often engages in contentious issues, said Richards, who sported a rainbow-hued gay rights button and a T-shirt opposing salvage logging in the Biscuit fire area near Grants Pass. "This is different," Richards said. "The Walker Peace Garden is something everyone can support." She acknowledged that the effort is in its infancy. Helping three poor families learn to garden isn’t much, but it’s a start. "I see the need for building the infrastructure to end hunger," said Richards, who hopes the program will be replicated. "It’s a small project, but what we’re doing is a big deal." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Salvia Divinorum Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s