From our Fall 2018 Newsletter. See the full newsletter (PDF) here.
You might not think of Wyoming as an oasis for veggies. Summer is gone in the blink of an eye and the dry air doesn’t lend itself well to prize-winning crops. Or at least that’s what you’d think.
In Sheridan, though, gardening is a different story. With some TLC, hard work and guidance from Rooted in Wyoming (RIW), there are plenty of home-grown foods to go around.
Had you looked around Sheridan just a few years ago, this wasn’t the case. Private backyards may have had gardens, but not school yards. RIW, an organization dedicated to building and nurturing school and community gardens, has been working to change this.
“I looked at what my kids were getting from school lunches and wondered why we weren’t doing better,” says Bonnie Gregory, director of Rooted in Wyoming.
She believed Wyoming could provide everything kids needed to be healthy and connected to the land.
“I realized we could build and grow gardens that would teach our kids where their food was coming from. It would let them connect to the outdoors and it would be nutritious. Why weren’t we doing it?”
That’s when Bonnie decided to start RIW.
In 2016, Bonnie and others had high hopes for the organization. But there was still a lot needed if they were going to sustain the program. RIW needed help. The Wyoming Community Foundation reached out a hand.
Because of YOU, the Wyoming Community Foundation (WYCF) became Rooted in Wyoming’s fiscal sponsor partner, giving Bonnie’s great organization the chance for solid footing.
Because of your support, # of gardens, built by community members are available to all. Kids are getting their hands dirty, planting, eating and learning.
They’re also gaining a sense of pride and ownership for something they had a part in building. Kids are taking part in feeding their community while working together and appreciating the outdoors.