Turning Soil for the Good of Community
“Gardening is a healing, therapeutic space for me and connects me with God. There's a joy in being willing to step into a space that looks badly damaged and broken, even dead on the surface. But as you get close and care for the earth and the plants, you realize how much life and vitality are in store," says Paris Eble (pictured right), a community leader and a recipient of a Rally CLE grant this year.
In the early morning hours on September 10, over thirty volunteers from Royal Redeemer Lutheran Church and Credit First National Association (CFNA) gathered in the Refuge Garden in Clark-Fulton to turn soil, assemble garden boxes, build watersheds and pull weeds as a part of Building Hope in the City’s (BHITC’s) fourth annual Rally CLE, which also received significant support from Key Bank Foundation.
Rally CLE is a one day event that unites residents in the Clark-Fulton and Stockyards Neighborhoods (CFSY) around innovative ideas they have for their community. With resident leaders in the driver’s seat, local partners and volunteers are tasked with encouraging and supporting a tangible vision, with the hopes that lasting relationships will form. This year, nearly $50,000 was invested into these communities through project grants and 300+ residents and volunteers worked alongside one another to complete 9 project dreams of neighborhood leaders - all made possible through many partners, supporters and friends.
Paris and Amanda Roberts (pictured left), the visionaries and resident leaders behind the Refuge Garden, currently work across the street at The Garden Christian Academy and had previously used the produce from the garden to support the school’s lunch program. Due to COVID, however, their efforts were paused and the green space became overgrown. But in God’s goodness, the Rally CLE grant they received was a launch pad for the restoration of the garden once again.
“It would have taken me months, if not years, to accomplish all of what was done at the garden the day of Rally CLE. Many hands do make the workload lighter - so light that I barely did much of anything except manage the volunteers that showed up. I’m looking forward to continuing the epic partnership with Royal Redeemer, as this is something I usually do on my own,” says Paris.
While the Refuge Garden will continue to serve The Garden Christian Academy, Paris and Amanda have plans for the space to be one of welcome for anyone who passes by. In addition to the current footprint of the garden, volunteers built raised garden beds on an empty lot next to the garden, where community members will soon have their own plot of soil to call their own.
Meredith Leech, the site leader from Royal Redeemer Church said, “It’s been really fun to see Paris and Amanda’s passion and adopt that passion as our own. Amanda told us she teared up because this has been a long-time dream that is finally being accomplished.”
Vatreisha Nyemba, BHITC’s Director of Leader and Community Development summed up the success of the Rally CLE projects by saying, “Without courageous residents in the community who choose to step out and make a difference in their neighborhoods, there would be no Rally CLE. After this year’s event, we are left with lots of opportunities to build on relationships and trust needed for the flourishing of the community.”
We thank God for the hundreds of people that rallied together to, quite literally, plant and sow seeds for the flourishing of a community.