Progress
The Chilliwack
Friday
21
3
Sport
Lights
13
Life
Chiefs
Violence
Garden
Carter Cochrane makes welcome return to the Chiefs.
Shining a light on domestic violence.
Garden’s potential brought to fruition.
Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R • F O U N D E D I N 1 8 9 1 • W W W. T H E P R O G R E S S . C O M • F R I D AY, O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 5
Putting a charge back in your community Greg Knill The Progress
Continued: COMMUNITY/ p10
%off
50 Retail 85¢ Box $1.00
PLUS PST
Alarmes Batteri expires
0
Sept. 3
A young student gardener picks up his Chilliwack Fair prizes and gift pack, at the Chilliwack Schools Gardens awards night. The 111-year-old program will start up again in February. JESSICA PETERS/ PROGRESS
Planting the seed with young gardeners Jessica Peters The Progress Back when George Epp was in grade school, the Chilliwack Schools Garden Program cost one dime to join. “And they were called Victory Gardens,” he said, when people were encouraged to grow their own food to help with the war efforts. “Mr. Rennie was running the program and to get the seeds we had to pay 10 cents,” he said. “Well. Suffering cats! To get it back we had to pick the weeds.” The judges would come around and make sure their gardens were growing nicely,
and eventually, the finest gardens would win awards for their owners. That was the 1940s, and not much has changed today. The cost has increased, but only to $2 per child. That covers the program’s costs of seeds, advertising and prizes. Today, around 200 student gardeners enrol each year. They can grow gardens of any size, from small patio containers to larger crops. They can enter as individual, or as a pair to split up the workload. Their bounty is not only judged by a helpful panel of experienced gardeners, including gardening expert Jack Kouwenhoeven. It’s also entered into the Chilliwack
Fair, where the kids can earn prize money. The 111-year-old Chilliwack Schools Garden Program celebrated their annual awards night on Sept. 23, at Cheam elementary. Epp was one of several presenters, who handed trophies and smiles over to eager young gardeners. The program is open to students from public and private schools, as well as online learners. Several of them showed up to receive their awards, hear the speakers, and meet other young gardeners. They also got to hear from a past student gardener who has “crossed over” to be on the group’s committee.
Megan Krabbendam was in the program throughout school. As emcee for the night’s ceremony, she offered up some advice to the young audience. “I would definitely encourage you to keep coming back here,” she said, and with practice, the gardeners will get “better and better.” “If you don’t get called up tonight, don’t worry, maybe you will next time,” she said. Registration for the next season will begin around February and March, with the seeds and information distributed in late April. To learn more about the program, visit garden.sd33.bc.ca.
LOCAL OWNER. LOCAL EMPLOYEES. Because when it comes to your safety... LOCAL MATTERS. CALL US FOR A FREE QUOTE C
604.792.8055
09/15F CS4
Chilliwack residents took a step toward creating a more energized and active city on Wednesday. But the next move is their own, said neighbourhood activist and author Jim Diers. Diers was invited by the City of Chilliwack to share his experience in building more caring, more resilient, and more responsive communities in Seattle. Born in Burnaby, Diers has been working with individuals and community groups to reclaim and reinvigorate neighbourhoods by channeling the enthusiasm and ingenuity of the people who live there. “There is incredible, untapped power in our communities,” Diers told a crowded Rotary Theatre at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. He said governments have a role to play, but ultimately it is up community members to identify their needs and mobilize the resources necessary to meet their collective goals. Diers is no stranger to this effort. He began work in the 1980s and his ideas have since spilled into 17 other countries. And they’ve seen results. One example is an innovative partnership between local government and community groups. Governments agree to provide funding for a community initiative that is matched to the number of volunteer hours groups are willing to commit. Since its inception in 1989, the “Neighbourhood Matching Fund” has mobilized tens of thousands of volunteers and completed more than 5,000 community projects. By working together, communities can make their neighbourhoods safer, healthier, and more sustainable, said Diers. He offered a few tips on how to make that happen.