On what was quite possibly the wettest and coldest May 28th on record, some 150 Telus employees came out to Loutet Farm last Saturday to lend a hand, and celebrate Telus’s donation of a new hoop house to Loutet Farm.
What a day it was! These hardy folks braved the downpour to help out with everything from mulching, to seeding, to garden building, to invasives pulling. When the skies cleared at the end of the day, over 20 cubic metres of invasive plant material had been removed from the area, lupin seeds planted to nourish bees, compost turned, beds prepped for planting, potatoes mounded, seedlings started, kits for our school and childcare gardens assembled, trellises built, Lifespace Gardens built for our programs, kids educated about compost and seeds, and many people informed about our work.
CEO Darren Entwhistle wielded a shovel and mounded potatoes with the rest of his team, and Mayor Darrell Mussatto, and MLA’s Naomi Yamamoto and Ralph Sultan joined us to thank Telus for their contributions, while HGTV’s Carson Arthur kept the energy up and everyone on track.
Looking forward, we’re eagerly anticipating the installation of our new hoophouse at the farm later in the season, thanks to Telus’s investment.
It was an amazing day, and we’re so grateful for Telus and “The Giving Effect” that gives back to our community in so many ways. On behalf of the EGP and North Shore Neighbourhood House, thank you to everyone that made it happen!
For the full set of photos from the day, see our flickr album.