Winter 2008

Standards for Excellence Certification

We are proud to announce that the Parks & People Foundation has been awarded the Seal of Excellence by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations. This Seal designates successful compliance with the Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector. The Seal of Excellence is granted to well managed, responsibly governed organizations that deserve the public’s trust.

Parks & People is extremely honored to receive this award that signifies that we are an ethical, transparent and honest organization. The application required Parks & People to meet 55 rigorous standards that covered every facet of organizational operation and governance.

For more information about the Standards for Excellence award, visit www.nonprofitsyoucantrust.org today!

 

Alley Gating and Greening Workshop

Before Greening

After Greening

On Thursday, February 21, 2008, citizens of Baltimore City will have an opportunity to find out more information about the city’s policy on greening and gating alleys within residential communities. Kate Herrod from Community Greens will discuss the concept of “Shared Parks in Urban Blocks.” The program begins at 6:00 p.m. and will be held at the Parks & People Foundation’s offices. For more information, email info@parksandpeople.org.

Preserving Baltimore’s Landscape, One Garden at a Time

Miriam Avins and her family lived in Canada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania before they made their way to Baltimore in 2003 and found a house in the Better Waverly community that ignited their imagination immediately. Miriam noticed that there was potential in her neighborhood to start a garden, but had no immediate plans. “We walked around the neighborhood and I thought about starting a garden in five years,” explained Miriam. She had no idea that a series of events would lead her to actualizing her plan much earlier.

Shortly after moving into her large, light filled Victorian she received notification from her insurance company that her house was no longer insurable for a myriad of reasons. Rather than accepting the claim denial, Miriam started writing letters and calling local officials and government agencies, namely the Maryland Insurance Administration. She soon learned that the primary reason her insurance was cancelled was the abandoned house next door to her home. So Miriam asked the city to demolish the abandoned structure, which they did.

Unfortunately, when the house was demolished the lot quickly became an open meeting place for vagrants and undesirable tenants of the community. Despite her best efforts the vacant lot was strewn with trash. Miriam realized that something positive needed to happen in the space and the idea for a community garden resurfaced. With the support of the Better Waverly Community Association, Parks & People, the MD Cooperative Extension and the Master Gardeners of MD she organized the first planning meeting for the shared space. “Before the meeting started my husband was scrambling for more chairs and the door bell kept ringing,” said Miriam, “it was great!”

During the planning stage a garden design was donated, seeds were purchased and neighbors were invited to participate. The garden would be organic, cooperatively managed and membership based. After three successful seasons, which produced an abundance of fresh produce, Miriam discovered the property owner’s plan to develop the lot into apartments. Rather than admit defeat, she proactively concentrated on protecting the garden and founded the Baltimore Green Space Land Trust.

In 2007 Miriam was named an Open Society Institute Fellow. From her desk at Parks & People, she is organizing outreach meetings with concerned citizens and continues to develop relationships with key stakeholders in Baltimore City. She is dedicated to offering her expertise to other community gardens and green spaces in Baltimore that are or could be in jeopardy.

SPRING TREE SALE !!

This spring, Parks & People will be offering high performance trees for sale. Red buds, Red Maples, Oak trees and more will be available. The native trees have been grown using a specialized, natural production method that results in faster growth, an increased ability to absorb carbon and higher survivability rates. Order one in February, plant it in April and watch it grow!

Details and order forms are available at www.parksandpeople.org beginning February 22, 2008. If you are interested in a pre-order or want to find out more information, call Jessica Walbridge at 410-448-5663, ext. 115 or email her at Jessica.Walbridge@parksandpeople.org.

Motivating Youth Sports Superstar

Alycia Williams Chase started playing volleyball in 9 th grade. Her love of the sport motivated her to join the Baltimore Starlings Volleyball club when she was a freshman at Polytechnic Institute. She excelled academically, formed lasting relationships with her teammates and coaches and graduated from Polytechnic with a scholarship to play volleyball at Bowie State University. During her first year of college Alycia was asked if she would be interested in returning as a coach for the Starlings League. Her immediate answer was yes!

Alycia is now a senior at Bowie studying accounting. She returns to Baltimore every weekend to coach the 12-18 year old Starlings and share her belief in the importance of dreams. She believes that school work comes first and says, “If the girls aren’t doing well in school then they have to do their homework before they practice because school is their first priority.”

In addition to providing the girls with support and advice Alycia likes to start the season off by bringing in veteran players to describe what it was like for them on their first day of practice. Pairing experienced players with new ones is an effective way to demonstrate how hard work can pay off. “Sometimes we play video clips from when the older players first started to show the girls what it took them to get where they are now,” explained Alycia, adding that it motivates the new players to focus on improving their skills.

Her dedication and commitment makes her an excellent role model, a responsibility she takes very seriously. She hopes that the girls she coaches will keep in touch with her as she has kept up with her own Starlings coaches.

KidsGrow has expanded to five sites!
Commodore John Rogers, Harford Heights Intermediate and Sinclair Lane Elementary join Franklin Square Elementary and William Paca Elementary School bringing the number of children in the program to over 300!

In addition to lessons about ecology, ecosystems and environmental stewardship KidsGrow students receive homework assistance and participate in character building activities. “Fun Fridays” are spent watching movies, eating snacks and having a great time!

2008’s Tree Hall of Fame

Do you have a favorite tree in Baltimore city? Send it to us at info@parksandpeople.org and we will feature it in the next edition of “Tree Hall of Fame.”

Hall of Fame

The new year is marked with a new tree! This young Oak tree was planted by children and residents of the Brooklyn/ Curtis Bay area.

Parks & People’s Winter Quiz: Do You Know How to Prepare a Garden for Spring? Be the first to answer all of the questions correctly and win a Parks & People T-Shirt! Email your responses to info@parksandpeople.org and win!

- If you have an established garden, it is recommended that you have the soil tested in the winter every ___ years

1. 5 years
2. 10 years
3. 3 years
4. 9 years
   

- True or false: If your soil takes 8 hours to drain than your plants will grow healthier

- A good gardening site has:

1. full sun
2. plenty of room for plant growth
3. an ample water source and irrigation
4. all of the above

- A well kept and properly planned vegetable garden should produce

1. 600 to 700 pounds of produce per 1,000 sq feet
2. 1 to 2 pounds of produce per 1,00 sq feet
3. 5 to 600 pounds of produce per 6,000 sq. feet
4. none of the above

- Left unchecked, weeds can produce up to _____ seeds per year

1. 5
2. 10,000
3. 1,000
4. 40

- True or false: Phosphorus stimulates root growth and promotes seed and fruit maturation

- When planning your garden, you should make sure to

1. tell all of your neighbors
2. collect pictures of other people’s gardens
3. construct a diagram of the space, including measurements
4. wait until it is warm outside

- A working timeline for your garden should be started ___ weeks before the last frost date in Maryland

1. 15
2. 2
3. 6
4. 8

- Tilling and loosening soil prior to Spring can help

1. reduce the amount of toxins in the soil
2. expose bugs and pests to the weather and birds
3. protect perennial bulbs planted in the fall
4. eliminate unwanted plants

- True or false: You should plant seeds in two inch rows to prevent overcrowding in the garden.