Gardeners in Community Development

Growing People News Growing People News

Best Volunteer: Tiah Lambert
Tiah Lambert Awarded: GICD's Best Gardening Volunteer
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VOLUME 9, NO. 1

Spring 2003

Inside this issue:

Best Volunteer: Tiah Lambert GICD Supporters

A Report from Bunyay

Dedication of the Kramer School Garden Tiahs Garden Recipe: Beef Salad with Kafir Lime

Upcoming Events:
Annual Spring Plant Sale 2003
April 26: 9 am to 4 pm April 27: 10 am to 2 pm East Dallas Community Garden 1416 N. Fitzhugh, Dallas

Late Spring Festival

May or June (to be announced)

Tiah Lambert was honored at the Gardeners in Community Development's annual board meeting, February 20, 2003, for her continuing contributions to our organization. She received a copper watering can with an engraved medallion, "Tiah Lambert, Best Gardening Volunteer, GICD," to show our appreciation. This year, she was also GICD's nominee for volunteer recognition by the Volunteer Center of Dallas. For those not present for our award ceremony, we present here a detailed description of Tiah Lambert's contributions to GICD. While Tiah did not win the Volunteer of the Year Award given by the Volunteer Center on April 14th, from our perspective we can all second the statement by our President, Jerry Carlton, "she is certainly GICD's Volunteer of the Year." Tiah has been volunteering for GICD for the past 9 years, and each year her contribution to our organization increases. She gives from her heart. She seems to be working on our behalf day and night, often more than 10 hours per week, even though she has a full time job and family (including a teenage son). It is hard to imagine how we could have an annual plant sale without her. She helps coordinate donations, finds and trains volunteers, makes sales, is our head cashier, helps with set-up and clean-up, and more. For the three months preceding each sale, Tiah spends many days planting seeds, and transplanting seedlings. On sale day she makes and brings food to feed the volunteers and gardeners. She has done these things every year since the plant sale began in 1996. Tiah is our expert chef. Each year she does several in-garden tours combined with cooking demonstrations for us, and sometimes does cooking workshops at her home. At the recent dedication ceremony for the new Kramer School garden, she did a stir-fry cooking demonstration using Kramer's garden vegetables. At all events she pampers volunteers by routinely preparing food and drink. She does all of this, and loves writing recipes for our Growing People News, because she knows that teaching people how to use vegetables that the Asian refugee gardeners grow and sell, will help stimulate understanding and public awareness of the benefits of community gardening programs. She likes to visit community gardens (several times each month) to do whatever needs doing, like trash pick-up, planting and making vegetable and flower beds more beautiful, and sharing her
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GICD Board Meetings

April 24 6:30 pm East Dallas Community Garden Other mid-year meetings TBA (date and time may change, so call ahead)

American Community gardening conference "easy being green?"

Chicago, July 31August 3 For information see ACGA website www.communitygarden.org

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GICD SUPPORTERS
WINTER 2002SPRING 2003
Communities Foundation of Texas The Real Estate Council (TREC) Les Dames dEscoffier Heifer International Dr. Larry Cooper & Ann McGee-Cooper O'Donnel Foundation Schmidt & Stacy Huitt-Zollars Jenkens & Gilchrist
Noel & Jeannie Barrick Gerald G. Carlton Matthew & Linda Craig
Sara Ahr Mary Jane Beaman Rose Blatch Lawrence & Billie Bobo Sally Ee Emma Sue Frank Bruce & Sue Giles Sharan & Lynn Goldstein
Paul & Debra Abbott Linda Ahrens Albi & Petter Assman Suvapot Atiyawifitr Shelly Dawson & H.W. Baerwalt Carolyn Bush Jane Cockrell Carolyn Crafton James & Judith Cuffrey Master Composters Class Janet DeLee Robert Elkin Forney (Terrel) Garden Club Cindy & Scott Freedman Patty Frederick Nicholas Frence Garden Club of Flower Lovers Rick & Barbara R. Guerrero Mary Margaret Halleck Majorie Henderson Ann Herrscher Althea Hills iGive Web Shopping Hadi Jawad Chharveth Kiv

Don & Tiah Lambert Skyline Whiterock Lions Mrs. Lisa O. Smith
Barbara Hawn Jacquelyn Keither Michael R. Levy Malaysian Family Club Microsoft Janet Newberger Judson Mark Sinclair Darlene Smith & Jay Dowling Amanda Vanhoozier
Kirk Kretsinger Mr. John McElhaney Murray & Mike Leaf Nancy O. Lemmon Gordon & Virginia Lindsley Jeanette Lockridge Gay & Charles Lustfield Carol Lyons Bob Merceda Michael Millican Kiet & Tity Nguyen Kelly R. Page Shirley Pollock Joseph & Irene Pitt James & Joanne Pratt Jan Pruitt Louise B. Raggio Nancy Edwards & Bob Randall Valley Reed Safeway Inc. Beverly Samuels Indira Singla Michale & Kasmah Sumner Rosni Uzairi John & Margaret Veath

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GARDENERS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

2003 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Gerald G. Carlton, President H. Edward Sholty, Vice President Kai Kunnapas, Secretary Rick Guerrero, Treasurer Joanna L. Hampton Jeffrey Lamb Don Lambert Darlene Smith Ann Whitus

A Report from BunyayOur Gardening Education Assistant

My name is Bunyay Nhonh. I came from Cambodia, a tropical country located in South East Asia between Thailand and Vietnam. I am a Medical Doctor, now 62 years old. I work part-time as a gardening education assistant for Gardeners in Community Development. I have been working to teach and encourage community garden users, especially those who speak Cambodian, to use organic gardening methods. This is not an easy task. Gardeners have easy access to chemical fertilizers and synthetic insecticides from many stores, but organic supplies are more difficult to find. In order to help them learn we organized a series of workshops and demonstrations, including: hands-on assessment of each gardener's plot; distribution of free compost, organic fertilizers and pest controls; released beneficial nematodes and insects; enhanced wildlife attractions; and, provided appropriate tools. After a couple of months, most gardeners reported that their crops were greener and healthier, and we are now in the second year of this project. All have come to appreciate the importance of mulching, making and using compost. They appreciate what they have learned, and are thankful for having access to supplies such as: Green Sense Lawn and Garden Fertilizer (a Rohde product) Healthy plant spray (our mix of fish emulsion, seaweed, vinegar, & molasses) Sluggo (iron phosphate to control slugs) Beneficial nematodes, ladybugs, & lacewings Since I have been working with GICD, it has been easier for the gardeners to understand our objectives and to work together on solving problems in the garden. I have translated GICD's educational materials into Khmer, such as: GICD suggestions for successful gardening, Plant sale information Plant labels for educational tours A Visitor's Guide, East Dallas Community Garden (bilingual) Fliers for a fundraiser to help remove landmines from a village in Cambodia, 2001 Project. So far I have learned a lot about organic gardening by working with our Director, Don Lambert, growing seedlings for the plant sale, making compost, building greenhouses, mixing potting soil, and working in school gardening projects. I have coordinated the efforts of volunteers and gardeners during clean-up days, preparation for events, and helped with activities such as the annual plant sale, garden festivals, and assisted on garden tours and educational workshops. Since the East Dallas Community Garden is a place where other organizations often come to work with the Asian community, I often help facilitate their efforts. I especially have enjoyed helping the medical team
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STAFF
Don Lambert, Executive Director Bunyay Nhonh, Education Assistant

HONORARY BOARD ASSOCIATE

Mary Jane Beaman

BOARD ASSOCIATES
Ethel Sirls Campbell Navy Chean Jennifer Conrad Janet DeLee Jim Hobbs Chharveth Kiv Tiah Lambert Tori Lambert Jan Matlack Amy May Reed McAlister Bunyay Nhonh Sophorn Pich Lance Rasbridge Chanda Sovan Rebecca Smith Susan Stahl Paul Thai

Gardeners in Community Development 901 Greenbriar Lane Richardson, TX 75080 972-231-3565 grower@flash.net
For information about newsletter contents, or permission to reprint, contact our acting editor, Don Lambert, at 972-231-3565.

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G RO WI NG PEO P LE N EW S SP RI NG 2 0 03 She moved sand, laid bricks, built beds, planted, watered, wheel barrowed mulch, and brought refreshments. She continues as a Kramer project supporter, by going back often to pull weeds, help plant, and share gardening skills with teachers, parents, and students. Linkage to other organizations and individuals through Tiah, has greatly benefited GICD. Tiah attends most of GICD's board meetings, so she can be informed and help us carry out our mission. Tiah is active with other organizations, including the Cambodian American Association of Dallas, the Malaysian Family Club, the Pearce Area Band Club (her son's high school band program), and the Greenwood Hills Neighborhood Association (her neighborhood in Richardson). She worked on special fundraisers to clear landmines in Cambodia, a collaborative effort with the Dallas Peace Center, the United Nations Association of Dallas, and GICD. For the landmine removal project, last year she cooked and organized a large dinner, hosted by State Representative Harriet Ehrhardt, which raised more than $5000 (Night of a Thousand Dinners), and this year she organized volunteers and food for a luncheon at the East Dallas Community Garden.

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gardening skills and knowledge with our garden clients and visitors. She photographs and documents our activities, and uses her experiences in our gardens to inform others about our mission, recruit sponsors and volunteers, and to encourage donations. She provides hands-on gardening education to children and our new gardeners. And, she frequently helps with educational projects, like tours, workshops, and information booths, so that others can know about community gardening and the work that GICD does. Recruiting volunteers is one of her special gifts. This past year she recruited, and then worked together with over 25 volunteers at events such as the plant sale, East Dallas Community Garden neighborhood clean-up days, tearing down the old tool shed to make room for another building, and helping move a greenhouse to another location. For about 10 weeks in early 2002 she was a regular helper at workdays, including recruiting many volunteer helpers, to build the Kramer Elementary School Community Garden, at a school in North Dallas.

She is an active member of the American Community Gardening Association, and goes to annual conferences for the purpose of learning what other programs are doing so that she can make our community gardening efforts in Dallas more successful. It is quite amazing that she does all of this for GICD, and also works full time at the University of Texas at Dallas Library. Even at her regular job she is well known for helping others. Recently she was awarded the Staff Council CARE Award (Celebrate Achievement-Reward Excellence) for superior performance beyond the call of her duties. We are in debt to Tiah for her impact on the community at large and on helping GICD reach its goals. We could not possibly have built the organization we have today, survived through difficult times, reached our goal of improving existing community gardens, provided gardening education and food security for hundreds of people (especially the low income Asian refugee populations of East Dallas), without Tiah's help. Story by Darlene Smith

Dedication of the Kramer School Community Garden, November 23, 2002. In the Communicator newsletter of the staff of the Dallas Independent School District. Photo showing Tiah Lambert demonstrating cooking for the event attendees:

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Tiahs Garden Recipe: Beef Salad with Kafir Lime*

Ingredients: 1 lb 5 2 1 4 to 6 beef flank steak (fillet very thin) sticks celery sliced ( 5 cups) carrots grated red onion sliced diagonally Thai chili sliced thinly 4 to 5 Kafir lime leaves sliced thinly 2 large fresh limes, use juice 4 to 5 tablespoons fish sauce 2 Tbs olive oil salt, pepper, and sugar (about 4 tablespoons) to taste

Garnish with: 3 green onions chopped, a sprig of Thai basil, knotweed herb, and mint (sliced thinly) Method: Brown half the onion in olive oil and set aside. In same oil brown the beef with Kafir lime leaves to medium rare. Place beef in large bowl, add cooked onion, celery, raw onion, carrots, chili, lime juice, fish sauce, and the rest of the garnishes with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Mix well together. Best if chilled for 1 hour before serving. Eat with raw cabbage leave, leaf lettuce, or as a side dish. * Buy a potted Kafir lime tree at our Plant Sale on April 26-27. About 10 servings.
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of Mr. Charles Kemp, by translating for sick gardeners who need help finding medical care. I am happy to be working for GICD and having the opportunity to help Cambodian gardeners adopt organic methods for the beautification of East Dallas and to enable them to become self-reliant and have an active role in the quality of life in their neighborhood. I am proud of our Asian Garden with its great beauty and productivity, and year-a-round diversity of tropical vegetables and herbs, especially great during the spring and summer. Story written by Bunyay Nhonh

Become a Community Gardening Supporter

Individual or Group
Principal Supporter $100 or more ____ Organizations1 Individual/Family Other Amount $ 35 ____ $ 25 ____ $ ______________

Business or Corporation
Program Supporter Garden Supporter Small Project $500 or more ____ $ 250 ____ $ 100 ____

1 Households, GICD gardening teams, organizations

Make checks payable to:

GICD

Gardeners in Community Development is a 501(C)(3) organization Please mail your contribution to: GICD, 901 Greenbriar Lane, Richardson, TX 75080
Your name _________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________ Zip ___________________ Phone ____________________

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Gardeners in Community Development Newsletter

2003 ANNUAL COMMUNITY GARDEN

PLANT SALE
EAST DALLAS COMMUNITY GARDEN 1416 N. FITZHUGH AVENUE

Supports the Community gardening programs of GARDENERS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Saturday April 26, 9 am to 4 pm Sunday April 27, 10 am to 2 pm

GROWER@FLASH.NET

Tel. 972 231-3565

Spring 2003 Gardeners in Community Development 901 Greenbriar Lane Richardson, TX 75080

Growing People News