Boca Raton News
Boca Raton, Florida
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/index.php?src=news&prid=18348&category=Local%20News
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Whispering Pines Garden Club donates vegetables to
Boca Helping Hands
By Nicol Jenkins
Whispering Pines Elementary students recently gave the
gift of nutrition to those who otherwise are unable to
afford fresh vegetables.
The garden club members at the Boca school donated
fresh vegetables from their school garden to Boca
Helping Hands, a food and utility assistance program
in Boca Raton.
?They will be used for salads,? said Joanne Szaja,
Executive Director of Boca Helping Hands. ?It?s so
important for them to have fresh vegetables because
they are full of nutrients they never have.?
Szaja recently visited the school garden where
students gave her fresh vegetables. She received
tomatoes, peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli to bring
back to the center. Szaja said these healthy foods are
at a shortage.
?Every little bit counts,? she said. ?It?s expensive
to buy fresh vegetables because money is tight. We
mainly have canned goods.?
The school?s Junior Garden Club sponsored by the Boca
Raton Garden Club has been collecting food for Boca
Helping Hands for more than three years, according to
BJ Saul, Garden Club sponsor and speech language
pathologist at Whispering Pines.
?We?ve adopted them as a community service project,?
Saul said.
Saul said about 40 student members donated vegetable
plants and seeds to harvest for those in need.
?We planted the garden in October with vegetable
plants and seeds that the students donated. Once they
grew, we harvested tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers,
lettuce, green beans and broccoli to provide a healthy
meal for the needy,? she said. ?It allowed students to
see how the vegetables grow. Kids live in a city where
they don?t see anything but Publix.?
The importance of nutrition was also taught, Saul
said.
?We wanted to teach the importance of eating healthy,?
she said.
Szaja also believes the students learned the value of
giving back to the community.
?For children they learn that it?s also nice to give
rather than just receive,? she said. ?The school does
food drives all year long. And it holds a special
place in my heart because it?s my children?s alma
mater.?
Students said they learned some valuable lessons.
?I learned how to grow plants, usually when I try to
grow them with my mom they die,? said 9-year-old Reema
Hamade. ?We?re going to grow more food and keep giving
it to the poor people so they will have meals.?
Student Yara Zbib, 9, added, ?By giving them some
vegetables and food I wanted to help the needy because
they don?t have anything and we do so I wanted to help
them.?
