Luis Gaytan and Anita Cummings of the United Business Association of Midway hold up cucumbers, zucchini and tomatoes--just a few of the fruits and vegetables now growing in the community garden outside Hale School, 6140 S. Melvina. --Photo by Dermot Connolly
Hale and hearty
Community garden grows at Clearing school
By Dermot Connolly
The community garden at Hale School that was expanded through a partnership with United Business Association of Midway and other local non-profit organizations is growing in more ways than one this summer.
Besides all the vegetables and herbs planted this year that are now in full bloom outside the school, 6140 S. Melvina, several fruit trees and bushes were added in late July. Grapevines and other additions are expected to be planted soon also, so there should be even more crops to pick in 2023 and beyond.
Hale started the community garden in 2020, and it began to flourish last year with the help of volunteers led by Hector Villalobos, a Hale parent and Local School Council member who built garden boxes and does a lot of the planting and watering.
On weekends, Boy Scouts from Troop 1439, which Villalobos leads, volunteer their time to water and care for the plants. The troop is sponsored by Two Holy Martyrs Parish. The Scouts also built two wooden benches that were placed just outside the garden, but they may only be there temporarily.
UBAM plays key role
After several UBAM member organizations expressed interest in creating a community garden this year, UBAM Executive Director Anita Cummings put them in touch with Hale officials. They agreed to work together on the existing project.
“This project is a beautiful example of what dedicated community partners can accomplish. This is a ‘win-win’ for UBAM, Hale School and our entire community,” Cummings said.
Those involved include the Garfield Ridge-Clearing Community Garden, a group of residents whose plans to obtain a space for their own community garden fell through last year. Vanessa Sepcot and other members of the group have shared their knowledge of gardening with Villalobos and other leaders of the Hale project. Sepcot also provided the mulch for the garden this year.
Luis Gaytan, public health ambassador of Envision Community Services, another UBAM member, has become very involved too. His group applied for and received a $1,400 grant from Microsoft that is going, in part, toward the new plantings.
“We’re learning about gardening as we go,” said Gaytan, who recently filled in for Villalobos while he was on vacation and oversaw the delivery and planting of a dwarf apple tree and a peach tree in the garden. He pointed out two raspberry bushes that were planted at the same time, as well as a pumpkin vine.
“We should be getting strawberries and grapevines soon too,” said Gaytan, explaining that Villalobos plans to build an archway to support the grapevines and serve as an entrance to the garden, which stretches across the front lawn of the school.
“We planted the trees near the front fence, so people can pick the fruit from the sidewalk,” he explained recently, as he and fellow Envisions public health ambassador Esmeralda Anaya watered the new trees.
“I would like to get a fig tree too,” he said.
Quinn donates soil
The office of 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn donated soil in June for the garden to get started, and now tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, a few varieties of peppers, as well as basil, cilantro and other herbs are available for local residents to pick and take home. There is still some of the soil left over, and Villalobos may build another garden box so the remaining soil can be used to plant even more crops.
“The garden is growing strong and has provided lots of veggies for the community. I love seeing families walk by and engaging with the garden to see what is growing and how it is growing,” said Samantha Kyme, dean of students at Hale and leader of the culture and climate program there. She serves as point person for the community garden project.
Hale kindergarteners got involved this year by planting sunflowers, and the plan is for the garden to be used as a learning experience for students in other grades as well.
“I’m pretty excited about all the additions and how well it is doing,” said Gaytan, noting that the community garden has the potential to benefit residents from throughout the Southwest Side.
He explained that Envision staff help stock and maintain the Good Neighbor Love Fridge at 6601 S. Pulaski, and some of the produce will go there.
Love Fridges, essentially mini-food pantries, are located in neighborhoods around the city are open to anyone in need of food.
“If we see fruit and vegetables getting ripe and not being picked by neighbors, rather than letting it go to waste we will bring it to the Love Fridge,” said Gaytan.
Regarding the grant that is funding a lot of the expansion, Gaytan said the last $600 will be awarded after the project is inspected.
“I wouldn’t mind giving that money to Hale for maintaining the garden, because their hoses and other equipment are being used,” he said. Gaytan suggested that eventually adding an automatic watering system might be helpful as well.
Local News
Biz groups battle over names, logos
Spread the love. UBAM, MCC trade barbs . By Dermot Connolly and Tim Hadac The leader of one Midway-area business association is accusing the other of bad faith, and the leader of the other is scratching her head over the dustup. United Business Association of Midway Executive Director Anita Cummings recently claimed that a rival…
Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind…
Softball | Shepard blanks Oak Lawn behind CG from Kailey Selvage, 2 RBI from Madison Scapardine
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Temperatures are not the only thing starting to warm up in the Southwest Suburbs. Shepard, which began the season with three consecutive losses, defeated Oak Lawn, 3-0, on April 15 to run its winning streak to seven games. Astros junior pitcher Kailey Selvage tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out…
County vets offer reduced-price vax clinics
Spread the love. From staff reports The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control is running its annual Partners in Prevention clinics now through mid-October. ARC is partnering with local animal organizations to offer reduced-cost or free one-year rabies vaccinations, as well as microchips. The partnerships are designed to link pet owners to organizations…
Twisted Shamrock hosts Masters-inspired fun
Spread the love. The drive from Chicago to Augusta, Ga. (home of the 2024 Masters professional golf tournament) is more than 800 miles, but those unwilling to make the trek recently had the option of simply heading over to Twisted Shamrock Pub, 6462 S. Central, for some Masters-inspired fun on Sunday, April 14. Both golfers…
St. Laurence grad Brett Buzzelli hurling for Carroll
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent Carroll University senior right-hander Brett Buzzelli has been named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Pitcher of the Week for April 8. Buzzelli was the winning pitcher in an 8-3 victory over visiting Elmhurst University in Game 1 of a CCIW doubleheader. The St. Laurence graduate tossed seven…
Fire II wins, draws
Spread the loveBy Jef Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire FC II earned its first regulation victory of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season in a 2-0 clean sheet against Crown Legacy April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Diego Konincks and captain David Poreba scored goals for the Fire. On April 14, the team had a…
Red Stars sans Swanson fall to Angel City
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Playing without scoring star Mallory Swanson, who was nursing a hip injury, the Chicago Red Stars lost for the first time this season, dropping a 1-0 decision April 13 to Angel City in front of an announced crowd of 3,168 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Angel City (1-2-1) started…
Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC to play at Wrigley Field
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Chicago Red Stars forward Ally Schlegel loves Wrigley Field. “I adored Wrigley the second I went to my first Cubs game,” Schlegel said. “I fell in love with it thinking it was the perfect sporting experience with how they built it up down there.” She will go from a…
Neighbors
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…