Campus + Community Day of Service - Bee Garden

Saturday started bright and early with the students meeting on Campus to make their way over to the Bee Garden in south Urbana together. We were joined by FAA 291 students as well as many Landscape Architecture students. Upon arriving to the site, we were briefed by Maggie Wachter, the resident beekeeper on practical ways to keep from being stung, as well as general bee etiquette. It was quite informative. Before we had arrive Maggie had moved the hives off to the side of the work area so we could do much of the work without worrying about the bees. Unfortunately due to bee behavior, many of the bees returned to one of the areas where the hive previously was located, and made working in that area difficult. Despite this, we got our work underway and began by digging up the edges where the beds were to be located, as well as digging out bases for the hives. Some students prepared the paver base where the hive would sit to prevent beetles from accessing the hives, while other students worked to outline the beds. When these tasks were finished we broke for lunch. After lunch we all go to work laying paper beneath the areas that were to be mulched, and then hauling wheelbarrows of mulch over to the garden. The students put together an efficient system with some students shoveling mulch, some transporting mulch, and others spreading the mulch. This process went quite quickly. Our final task which we could not complete was to till and plant the flower beds. We were unable to complete this due to the muddy nature of the ground. It would be quite difficult to plant and the plants may not take root the way they should. Finally we moved the hives back to the original locations allowing the bees to carry on normal life. Some of the bees seemed a bit disoriented, however for the most part they acclimated quite well. All in all we had a great day of work, and students were afforded to opportunity to get their hand dirty, as well as work with their peers, community members, and faculty making for great conversation.

February 22-23 Outreach Weekend 2013

Here goes another cold and rainy Outreach Weekend! Leave it up to us to make the best of it. We started out the weekend with a great riding/walking tour of the North First street neighborhood and business district. It was a great experience for the students to see this are of town and the real issues that are facing members of their community. The first stop on the tour was at Prosperity Gardens where Nicole Bridges joined us to tell us all about her vision for the garden and transforming the way residents view food. Following Prosperity Gardens we made our way down to the Center for Women in Transition where Mary Wallace joined us to share a bit about what they do. It was an incredibly informative session in which students asked many question and showed quite a bit of interest. Following the Center for Women in Transition, our very own grad student Jose Castillo-Pilcol shared with us his research at the 5th and Hill site. This site has been at the center of controversy in the community, and Jose was able to shed some light on this for the students. We concluded our tour with a riding tour through much of North Champaign and Urbana visiting places such as Douglas Park, the Boneyard Creek, and much more. After our tour everyone was able to dry off and warm up at Jupiters Pizza. Students were able to get to know one another, and talk a bit more about their experiences on the tour. Upon wrapping up lunch the students were divided into 2 groups. One group spent the afternoon working with Nicole at Prosperity Gardens, beautifying the area and prepping for spring planning. They were originally planning to construct cold frames for the garden; however the weather did not allow it. The second group worked at Center for Women in Transition. This group was about to meet some of the residents there, and give them a day off of chores. The students completed the typical chores the women complete on a day to day and week to week basis. It was not only helpful to the women who live there, it also gave the students a firsthand account of the daily lives of the women. Saturday was a much different story. Though it was not rainy, we did have a heavy coat of snow on the ground, and it was still quite cold. On Saturday all of the students worked together at a mobile food bank partnered with the East Illinois Food Bank. We drove down to Gays Illinois and worked to distribute large amounts of groceries to residents in the area that qualify. This was a really eye opening experience for the students, who even got to meet the mayor of the town. Students would help the residents select groceries and carry them out to their vehicles. Rounding out our time in Gays, the Mayors wife took us to visit the one and only “Double-Decker Out House”. It was quite interesting and a nice break for the students. On our way back to town we grabbed a bit to eat at Cracker Barrel and talked a bit more about our experiences. All in all it was a great weekend, and one I’m sure our students will not soon forget.
Students Unloading Food

Our Team

The One And Only “Double-Decker Out House”