The following news was submitted by Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve.

Sometimes when you are working on a project, all the right pieces seem to fall into place.

That was the experience of organizers of the Rochester Community Garden. According to Sue Neal, Executive Director of Dinosaur Hill, the organization that operates the community garden “we were hoping the garden would become not only a place for our community members to grow produce organically for their families but a place to make new community connections”.

One such community connection grew almost as organically as the vegetables that grow in the garden.

This spring all of the garden plots were reserved so the garden was full when organizers were contacted by a local service club interested in planting a plot to grow produce for donations.

Employee Unlimited Potential (UP) is the employee giving club of Crittenton Hospital. They were interested in raising produce to donate to a local food pantry.

Realizing the great potential of the project, Rochester City Councilmember Steve Sage stepped forward and generously agreed to donate his garden plot for the UP club to use.

“We were thrilled when Councilman Sage wanted to show his support for this excellent community project. When he heard about the need for a garden plot by the UP club he didn’t hesitate to donate his own plot for use by the group,” Neal said.

So now there was a group to do the work, a plot to garden in … all that was needed were some plants.

At the peak of the planting season, Bordine’s Nursery contacted garden organizers with a sizable donation of vegetable & fruit plants ready to be put in the ground. The UP club and several other community gardeners planted and tended the donated Bordine’s seedlings. The UP club was now ready to roll up their sleeves and dig in the dirt.

The club is now busy harvesting their crops, all of which are donated to the Rochester Food Pantry.

Several other groups have cultivated their entire Rochester Community garden plot in order to raise food to donate to local food pantries. These groups include Mitchell’s Fish Market, West Middle School and Cadette Girl Scout Troop 40214. Individual gardeners are also donating extra produce from their plots.

Once a week, garden volunteer Tracy Mitton collects the donations and delivers them to the pantry.

According to Bernie Hung, Chairman of the UP club, members of UP work as ambassadors for the hospital. The 710 employee members of the club have supported numerous projects within the hospital but also many projects in the local community including the annual Harvest Food Gathering to support Gleaners Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan, the Holiday Giving Tree Program for Rochester Area Neighborhood House, provision of heart defibrillators for community locations and many more.

For more information about the garden and how to become involved please contact: garden@dinosaurhill.org.