Last Wednesday we had JE Dunn Construction’s Risk Management Group volunteer their time to help us give some much-needed TLC to a few areas around the campus. They cleaned the parking garage, weeded our lower-level gardens, moved furniture and other household items from one floor to another, finished assembling new basketball goals and filled bases with sand to keep them upright. Once the hoops were in playable shape, they had to be tested out of course! We are so grateful for this group and all they were able to help with. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! (fb)

It was time to do a bit of Spring cleaning in the gardens last week. Our sixteen raised vegetable garden beds serve many purposes, not the least of which are to teach our families the importance of growing their own food, the financial benefits of doing so and the nutritional value as well. Our program focuses on the whole family! Tiffany Buckley and volunteers from Volunteer KC gathered up some of our youngest program members to help with the harvest as well. Alongside our helpful volunteers, the children gathered beets, turnips, carrots, kale and assorted varieties of lettuce. Then the group pulled up the remaining stalks and planted new summer crops. After all the work was finished, the volunteers and kiddos sat together and enjoyed a fresh salad straight from the just picked harvest. We also had some had time with our resident hens. The children got to hold a freshly laid egg and pet two of the chickens. There were so many questions about our chickens and eggs. It was a delightful evening spent with these kiddos! (fb)