Dozens of volunteers come together for first project day this Saturday
(FERGUS FALLS, Minn.) – Thanks to the dedication of dozens of volunteers throughout the planning stage, Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) is excited to announce the first project day for “Lake Region Takes Root” (LRTR) this Saturday, May 11th.
“We will be moving 22 raised bed gardens from the Otter Garden site at Kennedy School over to the LRTR site at Kennedy Park Circle starting at 9am this Saturday,” said Jason Bergstrand, LRTR Project Coordinator. The donation of the Otter Garden raised beds and equipment turned out to be a natural fit for the discontinued school program. “We are unable to continue the Otter Garden so it is just really great to see the garden materials and the donor recognition relocated and repurposed with this project. We are really excited to see it continue to be put to good use,” said John Demuth, Second Grade Teacher at Adams School.
The site preparation began earlier this week when RDO Equipment of Fergus Falls donated time and equipment to begin the first dig at the site. “As we heard about the scope of the project and how this is going to impact the community, we could see that this project ties to many of our stakeholders. We are honored to be part of it and we look forward to being able to be a part of the project as it takes root,” said Brian Lohse, RDO Store Manager.
The beneficiaries of food grown at the site will be mainly WIC clients of Otter Tail County. Any overage of foods will be donated to organizations such as the Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf. Janet Lindberg, WIC Director with Otter Tail County Public Health is developing a Garden Club for WIC participants to engage them in caring for the garden as well as offering nutrition & cooking classes to teach preparation of the garden foods. “Providing access to healthier foods will mean a healthier population in general. Particularly for our clients, who often don't have access to free food, much less free healthy food, said Lorna Fuglesten, Volunteer Coordinator with Fergus Falls Community Food Shelf. “Eating better will keep people from being sick as often and enable them to miss less work and school. I believe this can make a difference in the lives of area families,” she added.
Approximately 20 volunteers will be a part of Saturday’s relocating & leveling of the Otter Garden to LRTR. Upcoming projects will involve planting seeds in the gardens and planting of the orchard. Fundraising & planning efforts are in progress for a three-year phase in of the project. People interested in helping with the LRTR project in any way are encouraged to call Volunteer Coordinator Kim Smith at 218.736.8472. Follow the progress and events associated with this extraordinary local foods initiative on Facebook.
About Lake Region Healthcare
Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional healthcare partner. With over 70 medical staff and over 850 employees, its team is dedicated to serving its patients and community with integrity, teamwork, compassion and excellence. For more information about Lake Region Healthcare, visit www.lrhc.org.
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