About a month ago the Faribault Rotary Club Diversity Committee agreed a community garden was a project worth doing to encourage the various ethnic groups to work together and build friendships. Our committee included Sam Ouk, Hanan Mohamud, Cindy Yerington, Brian Coleman, Heidi Nelson, Juanita Picazo, David Sauer and Dr. Dick Huston. That meeting was on a Wednesday. There were multiple hurdles. The first was where to locate gardens. The following Saturday Dick contacted Jim Purfeerst and Rick Cashin. Jim, a county commissioner said he would check things out at the next meeting on Tuesday. Rick who owns property in the city is well aware of opportunities in the area called me on Sunday and suggested the site where we now have gardens at the corner of Willow and 17th Street SW. He said he would help and that I should call Paul Peanasky Director of City of Faribault Parks and Recreation Department. On Monday Dick talked to Paul. He was very supportive of the project and took it the City Council on Tuesday night. He sent Dick an email about ten that evening with the good news the council had okayed the garden. Soon we partnered with the Faribault Diversity Coalition. Next came the tillage. Rotarian Laura Bock suggested her father may be able to plow and disk it. Her father, Ben Froman and a former dairy client of Dick agreed to do it. A few days later Dick disked it again and sprayed it for weeds. While all this preparation was taking place Sam was communicating with his friend, Kim Sin in Rochester who had helped establish a very successful community garden there in 2019. Kim provided valuable start up tips and a template for a contract relative to gardeners responsibility. Hanan and Juanita of the RISE room at senior high developed a recruitment flyer and started spreading the word that we were looking for gardeners from all communities. The next effort was staking out the gardens. Nora Schultz, Juanita, Hanan and students from the RISE room along with other committee members pounded posts and strung rope to make twenty six accessible gardens. The last of the issues was where do we get water. We checked with city and fire department but they had staff shortages. Community advocate Chuck Budde contacted Met Con but they lacked the necessary tank. Dick contacted Jim Purfeerst and without hesitation he said yes to fill a tank donated to us Leon Gregor of AgPro. We now have 800 gallons of water so necessary successful gardening. We have 12 - 15 of the gardeners growing vegetables and are looking for people to use the remaining spaces. Partnerships with Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike came together to make an idea a reality. No who was asked refused. It was a collaboration of old and young, farmers and business people, government, multiple ethnic groups and others. | 
