Hip Hip Hooray for our 2009 Volunteers

Thanks to our monthly Garden Work Days, Corporate Service Days, and School Field Trips and Service Days, Collective Roots hosted volunteers for over 65,000 volunteer hours last year!

Here are  Normal 0 0 1 151 866 7 1 1063 11.1282 0 0 0 just some of our 2009 accomplishments that we are proud of:

• We added 28 new fruit trees to the EPACS orchard
• The EPACS playing field was cleared and leveled to allow students to play safely
• Trailhead cleanups resulted in the clearing of invasive weeds and trash from the Baylands
• A new composting system enables students to compost food scraps more easily
• Tons of donated mulch has been spread in the garden, creating beautiful top soil and keeping paths maintained
• A new chicken coop is ready for spring chickens!
• We staffed outreach tables and distributed EPA Fresh Checks for the East Palo Alto Community Farmers' Market at the Juneteenth Festival, July 4th Parade and Community Celebration, Collard Greens Festival, New Sweet Home Church Health Festival, National Night Out, EPA Children’s Day, EPA Sanitary District 70-year celebration, and Ravenswood Business District/Build EPA Planning Fair.
• Farmers' market volunteers collaborated with faith leaders to educate local worshippers about the importance of healthy eating. 
• Our new greenhouse is up and running--it helped us grow 20 different types of tomatoes last summer!
• The EPACS garden provided fresh produce for all our educational programs and to sell at the EPA Community Farmers Market
• A new mural lights up the outdoor kitchen

Without the help of volunteers, we would never be able to do the amazing and wide-reaching garden and environmental education work that we do.   Thanks to everyone who rolled up their sleeves and dug in the dirt to help us achieve our goals last year--many hands make light work!