One-Sentence Description of CSG Project:

The installation of an irrigation system in an organic vegetable garden located in the Sydney suburb of Bronte where volunteers from the not-for-profit organization, The Valerio Daniel de Simoni Association Incorporated, tend so that the crops can be donated throughout the year to people in need in the community.

Location of CSG Project:    Bronte Park, Bronte, NSW Australia

BACKGROUND

The Charity Garden was established a couple of years ago by the Valerio Daniel de Simoni Association Incorporated, and looked after by a small group of volunteers who tend to the garden weekly.  It is fully organic.

Photo of the gardens:

Note the green hose in the photo above – that was the old irrigation system.

When the crops are ready, they are delivered to people in need in the local community – specially via three charitable organizations:  WAGEC (Women and Girls Emergency Centre), a refuge for women at Potts Point;  Red Cross Young Parents Program – supporting young mothers in need and  their babies located at Randwick;  and St Canice’s Homeless Kitchen located at Kings Cross.  

Photo of signage:

The response from these people have been very positive, many of whom do not normally have access to such fresh vegetables and have a poor diet.

THE PROJECT           

The Project was to install an irrigation system to facilitate and improve growth of the produce / vegetables which are donated to the charities noted above.  Prior to the installation there was no proper irrigation system, but an ineffective hose that did not water the vegetables in all areas.  Hence the vegetables were not thriving to their optimum.

The CSG Grant Recipient has been directly involved in the project as a volunteer working on the organic vegetable garden, assisting with planting, weeding, fertilizing and delivery of the produce to the benefiting charities.

HOW THE GRANT WAS USED

The  $500 US grant was used to purchase the component parts for the irrigation system. They were purchased from a major hardware store ‘Bunnings’.  A friend had an understanding of horticulture and he led the project in calculating the component parts to purchase.  The Club Member together with the Garden Co-ordinator and the Horticulture friend purchased the parts.  A date was set for the installation of the irrigation system. A number of volunteers assisted.   After a full day’s work in the sun, the project was completed.

Photos of the installation:

eClub One Member Volunteering:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANK YOU TO ROTARY ECLUB ONE

A sign acknowledging Rotary eClub One’s support in this project has been erected on the site.  A formal acknowledgement was included in the end of year newsletter of the organization, which goes to its members and to the public, as well as to its sister association of the same name in Rome, Italy, and noted in the minutes of the organizations AGM, attended by the eClub One Member. 

One of the volunteers who regularly delivers the fresh vegetables to the Women and Girls Emergency Centre had this to say about the sort of response she receives:

“As I bring the vegetables into the foyer I often get the comment: Oh don't they smell and look so fresh.  Also each time I take them the women say:  We really appreciate you bringing these to us and please thank all those who do the work.  One Red Cross worker said - it is really good for the girls to see veggies with dirt on them to realize not all things are packaged and from cold storage.”

Email from the Red Cross Young Parents Program:

Notes from the December Newsletter from President Vittoria:

Growing Food for disadvantaged, under the generous coordination of Marisa Minelle-Katis, cares for the abundant Bronte organic vegetable garden in memory of Valerio. The garden produce goes toward feeding: women in the emergency centre at WAGEC in Potts Point and Young Parents at the Support Organisation run by the Red Cross in Randwick.

This year the garden underwent two important changes:  10 raised wooden boxes were built under the design and direction of Elio Loccisano and were paid for by donations; a new more efficient watering system was put in place thanks to the Rotary eClub One $500 US donation and thanks to the horticulturalist Giles Cole who designed and installed the system free of charge.

Thanks also to all the volunteers who helped both with the building of the wooden beds and the watering system. Many thanks to Marisa and the dedicated members for the daily care of the garden!

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ROTARY SIGN IN THE GARDEN:

I would like to thank Rotary eClub One for the generous grant which has helped this small charity organization purchase and install the new irrigation system.  Without eClub One’s support, this would not have been possible.

Amy Hing-Young

8 March 2016