Re: WE DID IT! SUCCESS STORY

**A*@aol.com**

Dear  Begoña, 

Salud! Or as Jewish people like myself say, Mazel Tov!

Now, what you need to do is have a cocktail party ( fiesta, picnic, or 
whatever is locally appropriate) for all of your gardeners, local community 
supporters, politicians that helped you and the more sane of the folks who opposed 
you.  This is the time to draw people in and make new friends. 

Create a small xeroxed sheet of information on your garden ( with a piece on 
your mission, history, good work in the community contact names and  numbers) 
available for all attendees as a take away.

Make sure that those of your gardeners with the hospitality gene are working 
the crowd and making everyone feel at home. 

Make this an annual event going forward and be sure to have a sign in list of 
all attendees so you can contact them with good news from your garden. 

Best wishes,
Adam Honigman
Volunteer, 
 <A HREF="http://www.clintoncommunitygarden.org/";>Clinton Community Garden</A>

<< Subj:     [cg] WE DID IT! SUCCESS STORY
 Date:  7/10/03 2:57:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time
 From:  friendsofthegardens@hotmail.com (Livermore Gardens)
 Sender:    community_garden-admin@mallorn.com
 To:    community_garden@mallorn.com

 <div style='background-color:'><DIV></DIV>

Dear Friends,

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" 
/><o:p> </o:p>

This is a wonderful success story. While many <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns 
= "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" 
/><st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Community</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Gardens</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> are 
threatened around the nation, the only 
<st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Community</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Garden</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in 
<st1:City><st1:place>Livermore</st1:place></st1:City> will be staying…for as long as we 
are around! Around 3 years ago the decision was made to convert the gardens 
into two volleyball courts and a basketball court. Three years later, many people 
were still not happy with the decision so we kept fighting. Yesterday 
evening, the decision was made to leave the 
<st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Community</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>Gardens</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> where they have 
been for 23 years. The key to our success, I believe, was the broad support of 
the community. Most of the people speaking in favor of leaving the gardens at 
their current location were not gardeners. This shows that community gardens 
in general are not only about those who are lucky enough to have a plot, they 
are about community, about sharing and caring, and about being in touch with 
oneself and with nature.

<o:p> </o:p>

I am thrilled with the opportunity to keep tilling my plot, but more than 
that, I am happy to know and feel that when communities get together, things like 
this can happen. To anyone fighting this uphill battle…keep fighting! Develop 
a network around you with neighbors, and people in general, no matter where 
they come from, and above all, NEVER give up! There are people out there that 
want to help; it is just a matter of communicating, networking, and 
advertising. 

<o:p> </o:p>

Thank you everyone for your kind words of support, and for those that 
actively participated in the meetings, petitions and the like…THANK YOU! This was a 
wonderful show of community effort!

<o:p> </o:p>

Sincerely,

<o:p> </o:p>

Begoña  Cirera
  >>

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