Last week I met with some of the people instrumental in the success of the Alex Anderson Memorial Garden, a project begun last spring in memory of a beloved staff member.
Before we sat down I took the group into the atrium to show them all of the plants that John* has already planted. John, our resident nine-year-old farmer, along with his dad, found a common interest last spring during family visits. They planted trays of seeds that sprouted into tiny green plants. This winter they’ve enjoyed the same task, and John regularly checks on the trays he has prepared.
“Wow, those plants are fabulous!” said Anne Hennessey, mother of the late Alex Anderson. “They’re ready to be transplanted into the garden,” she told John.
Patti Spangler, a Hephzibah volunteer and friend of the Andersons, lovingly tended our garden each and every week last year. She arrived at today’s meeting with delicious marinara sauce, created from the garden’s bounty.
John beamed when Patti told him she made the red sauce from tomatoes and basil he helped grow. He quickly began eating the marinara sauce and fresh bread sticks. It seemed to taste that much better!
This was a beautiful moment, to see the excitement on John’s face and witness him enjoying the fruits of his labor. The garden was important to him last year and he has renewed his commitment. This is exactly what our children need, a chance to be a part of something, a chance to be successful.
John now knows that he can grow a garden. What a wonderful feeling. Finding success through his own efforts will boost his confidence and the way he thinks about himself.
This summer please consider stopping by Hephzibah to see our garden. We hope to have enough produce that we can again share some of our veggies with the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.
*Not his real name.
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