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Container gardens flourish outside of Eisenhower Towers during the 2010 Community Garden initiative.
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Macomb Community Garden Mtg. March 31

March 28, 2011

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MACOMB, IL -- How does your garden grow? In Macomb, it can grow with a little help from your friends.

A Macomb Community Garden meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 31 in the Macomb City Hall Community Room. Information will be presented about the new site on East Wheeler Street and applications will be taken for 10-x10-feet to 10-x30-feet plots. Individuals/families can sign up for multiple plots.

The Macomb Community Garden is an initiative between Western Illinois University departments, including sociology and anthropology, recreation, park and tourism administration and the School of Agriculture; the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at WIU; Western's Horn Field Campus; and Western's Peace Corps Fellows program. Faculty and students from these departments assist with and oversee the program, along with the Housing Authority of McDonough County, Prairie Hills Resource Conservation and Development, FIG (Food Initiative Group of Macomb), West Prairie High School and the Western Illinois Regional Council

The Macomb Community Garden began in Summer 2009 at Horn Field Campus. Last year, community gardens were established at three different McDonough County Housing Authority locations and at the new East University Drive Sports Complex.

According to Bill Jacobs, the executive director of the Housing Authority of McDonough County, the community gardens provided an enjoyable experience for the residents.

For more information contact Rob Porter of the WIU RPTA department at macombgardens@gmail.com, R-Porter@wiu.edu or (309) 298-1967.

Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing