August 14, 2007 (THUNDER BAY) - Three in every four North American children are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. However, research is starting to show that people, especially children, who have locally grown produce available to them, tend to eat more fruits and vegetables overall.
“My kids are more aware than most about where their food comes from because of our involvement with the Community Garden,” says Erin Fedorus, single mother of three, who has been the volunteer Coordinator at the Academy Community Garden for the last two years, “As soon as they see the snow melting, they start asking when we’re going to start gardening. They help with the planting, weeding and of course the eating!”
A FREE TOUR to five Community Gardens will be held Thursday, August 16, 2007. A bus will pick up guests at the Oliver Road Community Center at 9:00 a.m. and St. Luke’s Anglican Church at 9:30 a.m. FREE BBQ to follow. Call 625-8343 to Register.
Media are invited for photo opportunities at the Academy Community Garden on Academy Parkway from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
One way of ensuring community food security and the availability and affordability of nutritious food for our residents, is to encourage people to renew their ability to feed themselves either individually or cooperatively. The Food Action Network (FAN) works with local agencies and residents to organize Community Gardens and promote local food producers. Today’s Community Garden Tour showcases the success of local programs and the hard work of community members.
“Not only do Community Gardens provide a way for people to feed themselves by growing their own food, they also grow community,” explains Catherine Schwartz-Mendez, Public Health Nutritionist and spokesperson for FAN. “They’re a great way for people to learn skills from each other while re-connecting with their food and with their neighbours.”
The Food Action Network is a non-profit coalition that works to improve access to safe, personally acceptable and nutritionally adequate food through a sustainable local food system. It brings together community members and organizations working in health care, social services, agriculture/food production, community development, education, anti-poverty, emergency food aid, environmental protection and municipal government to improve community food security in Thunder Bay and surrounding area through coordinated, community-led action.
More information is available at the Health Unit website www.tbdhu.com/healthyliving/healthyeating/foodsecurity
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For more information,
Laura Craig
Coordinator of Marketing and Communications
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
(807) 625-8800
COMMUNITY GARDEN TOUR
Thursday, August 16th, 2007
9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Pick up at Oliver Rd. Community Centre 9:00 a.m.
Arrive St. Luke’s Garden 9:30 a.m.
Leave St. Luke’s Garden 10:15 a.m.
Arrive @ Academy (snacks) 10:30 a.m.
Leave Academy 11:00 a.m.
Arrive @ Regent St. 11:15 a.m.
Leave Regent St. 11:45 a.m.
Arrive @ County Park 12:00 p.m.
Leave County Park 12:30 p.m.
Arrive @ Aboriginal Headstart (John St. Rd.) 12:45 p.m.
Lunch Time 12:45 p.m.
After lunch the bus will drop people back off at:
Oliver Road Community Centre
Then: St. Luke’s Garden