Gardens of Gratitude 100 Garden Challenge May 16-17

The Westside Permaculture Group and Sustainable Works are sponsoring the “100 Garden Challenge.” The purpose of this event is to create
100 edible gardens in a single weekend to build and enhance our community, raise
awareness about the benefits of locally grown organic produce, and inspire an
appreciation of the gifts nature has to offer. The “100 Garden Challenge” will be held
Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17, 2009.
There are three primary ways to get involved:
1. Community members who desire to start and maintain an edible garden and who have
land for a garden or fruit tree or space for potted plants, are encouraged to register their
future garden site for the "100 Garden Challenge" on the Gardens of Gratitude website.
For participants in need of advice or assistance in designing or planting their garden, the
Westside Permaculture Group will supply the needed talent and workers to assist
registrants in completing the work. Participants may also work independently if they
prefer. Financial assistance in the form of materials donations is also available to
qualified project sites.
2. Westside Permaculture Group is seeking volunteer gardeners of all skill levels and
ages to assist in the designing, planting and maintaining of the gardens for before, during
and after the event. Needed volunteers include: both unskilled and skilled gardeners;
certified gardeners (i.e.: with Master Gardener, Biointensive Gardening or Permaculture
Design certification, or the equivalent); trucks and drivers. Other volunteers desired
include artists, musicians, cooks and event coordinators for the Gratitude Parties being
held both afternoons of the event.
3. Westside Permaculture Group and Sustainable Works are seeking businesses and
organizations interested in supporting the event through monetary or in-kind donations.
Proceeds will go toward financing supplies for qualifying low-income participants in
realizing their garden, and other direct event costs. Donations over $100 are taxdeductable
and will be acknowledged on the event Web-site sponsor page with a
business/organization logo and website link, in outreach posters and at Gratitude Parties.
Current sponsors include: Sustainable Works, The City of Santa Monica, Co-
Opportunity, The Learning Garden, Heal the Bay and The Surfrider Foundation.
Registration for garden sites, volunteering, or becoming a sponsor for the event may be
completed by visiting the "Gardens of Gratitude" web site:
http://www.gardensofgratitude.org. For community members with limited Internet
access, a mail-in form can be obtained one of the following ways: visit the event Web site
and download the form, contact Sean Jennings at 310-928-3892, send an e-mail to
info@gardensofgratitude.org, or mail a request to: Sustainable Works, Attn: Traci
Reitz/100 Garden Challenge, 1744 Pearl Street, Santa Monica CA 90232. Please include
either “Volunteer Space,” “Volunteer Skills” or “Sponsorship” in the subject line of your
e-mail or letter.
Project website: http://www.gardensofgratitude.org
For more information please contact Traci Reitz: reitz_traci@smc.edu