Groundbreaking Ceremony to Celebrate Community Garden

Monarch to host groundbreaking for community garden in New Bern, August 29, 2012.

Project designed to provide a tranquil place for all people and to promote healthy foods, eating Monarch will host a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the development of a large community garden in New Bern. The public event will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the site of the garden at Monarch, located at 1320 Health Dr., New Bern. The community is invited to attend this free public event.

The Monarch Ability Garden Integrating Community and Land (M.A.G.I.C.A.L.) project was designed to provide a place for people to gather and learn about sustainable gardening while reaping the benefits from expanded access to locally grown healthy foods. Monarch, a nonprofit organization that provides support statewide to thousands of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse challenges, recently received a $30,000 grant from the Harold H. Bate Foundation, Inc. for the community garden, which was designed by local architect John Lucas.

Monarch officials believe the garden will help to increase physical activity through gardening, offering the positive health benefits from improved nutrition through a series of educational seminars on health and nutrition that will be available on site. Most importantly, the garden is a way to build community and inclusion through existing partnerships with agencies like the Craven County Health Department, N.C. State University’s Cooperative Extension Service and the Small Business Center at Craven Community College. The garden is one of three that Monarch will develop across the state.

The public is invited to attend the groundbreaking to see the garden firsthand and to learn more about the plans for the community initiative. For details about the garden or for information about the groundbreaking and to communicate your plans to attend, please contact Eileen Bress at 252-634-1715 ext. 3305. Monarch provides support statewide to thousands of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse challenges in more than 55 North Carolina counties. Monarch is nationally accredited by The Council on Quality and Leadership and is CABHA certified. The agency is an affiliate chapter of The Arc of North Carolina and The Arc of the United States. To learn more about how Monarch is “Helping Dreams Take Flight” for people living in our communities, please call 800-230-7525 or visit www.MonarchNC.org.

Submitted by: Cynthia Blot, 252-638-1166 or 252-639-0700, www.cravencc.edu/sbc