As the growing season waned in late October, Sister Lyn Szymkiewicz and volunteer Alice Valoski harvested the last 12 pounds of romaine lettuce from a garden on the grounds of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Some of the lettuce would be delivered to the local food bank, some would be tossed as salad in the Sisters’ dining room, and the wilted, brown leaves would be fed to the resident chickens. Since 2009, Alice has volunteered alongside Sister Lyn - planting, mulching, weeding, watering and harvesting the produce from the two community gardens and the Sisters’ garden on the Motherhouse property. Alice of Sewickley was one of the first local residents to sign up to tend a raised bed in Miriam’s Garden, the first of the two community gardens. While visiting a friend at Villa St. Joseph, Alice picked up a flyer promoting the gardens and was immediately drawn to participating.
“I enjoy gardening and wanted to help others
Alice, a registered dietitian who grew up with family gardens, appreciates and values the multiple benefits of community gardens:
“Community gardens encourage food security and a sense of community by giving people an opportunity to work together to grow their own food or food that can be shared with others. These gardens can improve the health of participants by
who might not have access to fresh nutritious
increasing their consumption of fresh produce and
food,” she says. “Often times, food that is donated
increasing their physical activity by working in
to food banks and soup kitchens is high in calories the garden. People who participate learn how to with few nutrients.” grow their own food.” Sisters of St. Joseph / spring
2016
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