October 2019 Newsletter
Wondering what we’ve been up to since our last Newsletter in August? Check out the full story here: October 2019 Newsletter
Volunteers Needed!
WHO: Any and all volunteers who are willing to help us close down Edwin Binney’s Community Garden for the season!
WHAT: We will be harvesting the last vegetables of the season, putting the compost pile to good use, moving some of our perennial plants, and emptying the raised garden beds at the front of the garden. Some moderate physical activity will be required so please come prepared with water bottles, closed toe shoes, and weather appropriate clothing. (Important: wear clothes and footwear that you don’t mind getting dirty!)
WHEN: Thursday October 17th from 1-4pm
WHERE: Edwin Binney’s Community Garden (15 Mary St W, the large garden adjacent to the Crayola Canada building). Parking is very limited so please walk if you are able, or park in the large lot at 55 Mary St W and walk across Crayola’s front lawn to the opening in the fence.
WHY: This garden has provided over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce to people who need it in our community, and it’s time to shut it down for the season so we can properly prepare for year two!
HOW: Just show up! Anytime between 1-4pm. We will be there.
Crayola Sale Date Change
United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is excited to announce the date of the 2019 Crayola Sale. Shoppers will still be able to enjoy all of the same deals as previous years, but this year, the date has changed! Please take note and join us on Saturday November 16th from 8am-12pm at the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds. There is no fee for entry but it is important to remember that this is a CASH ONLY SALE.
Two Tonnes Harvested and Donated
Friday September 27, 2019
United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is excited to announce that its newest endeavour in Food Security, Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, has hit yet another unprecedented milestone: more than two tonnes of fresh produce donated to local social service agencies! Crayola Canada’s unused land turned United Way CKL’s large scale garden set out with a goal of providing food security and food literacy to people in the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the project has been an extraordinary success for its first year of operation.
Naturally, the main goal of Edwin Binney’s Community Garden is to provide fresh produce to people who need it in the City of Kawartha Lakes through social service agencies, food banks, shelters, and children’s programming agencies. Eleven different agencies received fresh produce in the first year, thanks in part to the incredible power of FoodRescue.ca. Jessica Topfer, FoodRescue.ca Coordinator commented: “Thanks in large part to United Way CKL, we are seeing 95% of all donations going through FoodRescue.ca be fresh and nutritious produce – items which such non-profits might not often come by, or which can be expensive to purchase for their programming. This has helped non-profits immensely by saving them some of their already limited financial resources, but most importantly, it has given members of our community an opportunity to access good food which can provide them the nutrition and energy they need as they work toward strengthening their future.”
A partnership with the Sustainable Agriculture program at Fleming College Frost Campus has meant that the garden receives a science-based crop rotation plan which will allow even more produce in future years. Students in the Sustainable Agriculture course are also able to receive practical experience that will count towards their diploma while working on site at Edwin Binney’s Community Garden.
The multi-pronged approach taken by United Way CKL has meant that along with experience for college students, children of all ages can enjoy learning at the garden. Thanks to a TD Friends of the Environment Grant, United Way CKL was able to hire an educator to create curriculum-based workshop materials so that children of all ages can enjoy the garden while learning about where their food comes from. Fifteen school classes and summer camps with children ranging from 3 to 17 years old were able to visit the garden in year one. A total of 300 young people gained hands-on experience in food literacy, numeracy, agriculture and biology through plant identification, scavenger hunts, crafts, and various whimsical activities in the garden. “The visit was not only very informative and interesting for the campers, but it was also very, very fun! Our campers thoroughly enjoyed learning about the garden and participating in the crafts and activities you had in place for us,” said the Summer Activities Coordinator at the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Representatives from Crayola Canada remarked: “This is an amazing accomplishment, way beyond any expectation we had when this project started. It is a result of a combined effort from so many local partners; Crayola is very proud to be a part of such a significant community initiative.”
Plans for year two are already in full swing, with the goal of increasing produce yields and student involvement. Anyone interested in getting involved in Edwin Binney’s Community Garden should contact Elly Millington, Projects and Communications Coordinator at United Way CKL by email at office@ckl.unitedway.ca or by telephoning the office at 705-878-5081.
Edwin Binney’s Community Garden Hits Huge Milestone
United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is excited to announce that its newest endeavour in food security work is paying off in a big way- 1,046 pounds worth, to be exact! Edwin Binney’s Community Garden is the name of the new endeavour: it is 30,000 square feet of Crayola Canada’s previously unused land that United Way and Fleming College staff have developed into a fully operational community garden. The garden is maintained by staff from both United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes and Fleming College’s Sustainable Agriculture program, as well as several volunteers from Crayola Canada, Farm Credit Canada, and the community.
In just two months since its Grand Opening, staff and volunteers at Edwin Binney’s Community Garden have: planted and maintained 30,000 square feet of land plus twenty-four colourful raised garden beds; set up an innovative and sustainable irrigation system; hosted educational workshops for kids ranging from 3 to 17 years old; and harvested and donated 1,046 pounds of fresh vegetables to local agencies such as food banks, shelters, the Good Food Box, and kids programming agencies.
The work is far from over! “1,046 pounds of vegetables is a huge milestone for us, and we are so excited to share this news with the community,” said Elly Millington, Projects and Communications Coordinator at United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes. “The excitement doesn’t end here for us this summer; we are only just getting started with the harvest and are putting out a call for more volunteers to help with our first annual fall harvest. If you enjoy spending time outside and want to get your hands dirty while helping your community, we want to meet you!”
Anyone interested in volunteering their time to help with a worthy and innovative cause should contact the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes office at 705-878-5081 or fill out the volunteer form here.
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- Planting Tomatoes in June
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- A Summer Student with some Lettuce
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- One Beautiful Harvest in July
2019-2020 Campaign Chairperson Announcement
The United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes is pleased to announce their Campaign Chair for the 2019-2020 Campaign. The Campaign Chair will be Inspector Tim Tatchell, the Detachment Commander for the City of Kawartha Lakes Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police. 2018-2019 Campaign Chair Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Mark Mitchell joined Tatchell and United Way CKL Executive Director Penny Barton Dyke to make the announcement on BOB FM.
“I am excited to take on the role of Campaign Chair and work with the staff at the United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes during their 2019-2020 campaign. We all lead busy lives but when I saw the great work being done in our community by the local United Way and their awesome partners I knew it was important that I do my small part, and commit my time to assist them in achieving their goals,” Inspector Tatchell said, “Having returned to the Kawartha Lakes in the past year as the Detachment Commander of your local OPP detachment, I look forward to meeting the different community members that actively support the United Way at the many workplace and community events throughout the upcoming year.”
“We are thrilled to have Inspector Tim Tatchell as our Campaign Chair for the upcoming campaign. He has embraced the role with enthusiasm and looks forward to learning more about the work United Way and its member agencies does in the community,” said Barton Dyke. “The number of people who benefit from United Way funded programming continues to grow as over 50,000 people now access services in City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County. This increase is a testament to our funded agencies’ ability to be aware of emerging needs in our community and to adapt their programs and services to address these needs.”
United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes supports agencies and programming in the City of Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton County. All funds raised stay local. Therefore, funds raised in City of Kawartha Lakes stay in CKL and funds raised in Haliburton County stay in Haliburton County.
United Way CKL would like to thank Chief Mitchell for his continued support and for engaging Inspector Tatchell as Campaign Chair.
United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes would also like to invite the community to join us for our campaign Kickoff at Smitty’s Restaurant on Wednesday, September 11th from 7:30-9am. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance at our office at 50 Mary Street West or reserved by calling 705-878-5081 or emailing communityinvestment@ckl.unitedway.ca
Crayola Sale Date Change: The date of the annual Crayola Sale for United Way has changed. The sale will be on Saturday November 16th from 8am to 12pm at the LEX.
Celebrating 5 years of community service – David Burns, Burns’ Snow Removal
No matter what time of year, rain, sleet or shine, David Burns is there for us. His business, Burns’ Snow Removal has been run locally by his family for over 50 years. From the beginning, Dave says that his business has been “very community minded.”
For the past five years, Burns’ Snow Removal has quietly supported United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes’ community garden initiatives by making soil and straw deliveries.
Along with current community development work, United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes has expanded their Community Garden projects exponentially for the year of 2019. 30,000 sq. ft. of land has been donated to United Way CKL through a land use agreement with Crayola Canada. An unused lot on Crayola’s property in Lindsay, Ontario will now be turned into a community garden which will provide produce for programs such as the Good Food Box, Meals on Wheels, food banks, school nutrition programs, and so much more. Community Gardens yield more than food, they provide many teaching opportunities and will draw people together socially to help strengthen our neighbourhoods.
From the start, David has been extremely enthusiastic and prepared to help out this initiative in any way he can.
David Burns has been a consistent example of corporate responsibility in our community, offering lawn maintenance and snow clearing services to United Way year-round.
Thank you, David.
Meet our co-op student: Leah!
Meet our co-op student.
From the very first day of my co-op at United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes I felt welcomed and respected. Throughout my placement I have learned many things such as, communications, event planning, and social media.
Edwin Binney’s Community Garden was the main focus of my co-op placement, which I loved. Seeing the project come together from start to finish was so rewarding to watch.
I plan to take all the things I have learned from this placement and use them in the future.
My future goal is to go to Durham College and do the 4 year program for Public Relations.
I am so glad I got to take my schoolwork and turn it into practical work experience.
– Leah
The simple way we’re making our community garden ‘bee-friendly,’ and how you can do it too
Candace Buckley – Days Inn and Suites Lindsay
Sometimes the greatest ventures can begin with a simple idea. Here at United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, this has been proven time and time again.
Amidst all of the work that goes in to creating Edwin Binney’s Community Garden, we came across one small problem.
“The point of this garden is to provide food security to the community but we can’t do that without our friendly neighbourhood pollinators,” explained Projects and Communications Coordinator, Elly Millington.
So, how would we attract bees and other pollinators to our garden? Luckily, Robbie Preston, and his friends from the Pollinator Action Committee were there to answer our question.
For several years, Preston has been in the business of making bee nests and selling kits to people so they can assemble on their own. For him, this project started at home when he decided to find a simple solution to make his garden more pollinator-friendly.
The idea was easy, and nests can be assembled with a few small cardboard tubes or reeds and a few pieces of wood to hold it together, or by simply drilling holes into a block of untreated wood. However, Preston said that what we had in mind was “a major venture.”
Robbie Preston with a smaller bee nest
A large-scale garden project calls for large-scale accommodations for pollinators. So, along with 12 nests, Millington wanted to build a bee hotel.
“This is super creative, I’d never think about bees being in a hotel. I immediately thought it was an awesome idea and one that so many people would get a laugh out of,” said General Manager of Days Inn and Suites, Lindsay, Candace Buckley. Not only was Buckley on board, she explained through laughter, the hotel’s employees thought it was a great idea too.
The 26-year-old manager explained that the sponsorship for this project was larger than most businesses might be on board for, but as someone who has grown up, worked, and volunteered in Lindsay, she wanted to give back.
“There are so many things in our community that I didn’t know about until I started working and volunteering here,” said Buckley. “I hope this encourages other people in the community to get involved.”
Kawartha Lakes was the seventh of 24 Canadian cities registered as ‘bee-friendly’ by Bee City Canada. The organization’s website lists planting native plants, avoiding pesticides and making places for bees to nest and lay their eggs as ways to attract solitary bees.
The bee hotel will be revealed on Saturday, June 8 at our Grand Unveiling Garden Party. To purchase your tickets and learn more, please call (705) 878-5081, or email Elly at office@ckl.unitedway.ca.