Mission
The mission of the garden is to feed the hungry; beautify our city; teach a new generation to garden; and develop friendships with people from all walks of life.
Goals
The Rotary Community Garden began as a project of the Rotary Club of Gastonia, which was founded in late 1919 and chartered on January 1, 1920. Over decades, the club and its members have embraced projects that better our community and provide international humanitarian aid. Rotarians have a tradition of fighting poverty, beautifying the community, and building character in youth.
GOAL 1. FEEDING THE HUNGRY
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Our community is home to many non-profits providing meals for those in need. Requests for help have increased while non-profits’ resources are stretched thin. Healthy food options like organic produce are expensive. The Rotary Garden provides healthy, fresh food at no cost to the recipients.
GOAL 2. BEAUTIFYING OUR CITY
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The demolition of a warehouse along the heart of Franklin Boulevard left an unsightly, empty lot that did nothing to enhance the image of the city. Now, as visitors head toward a developing downtown, they see an example of community working together for the common good. The garden brings life and color to what was once an eyesore.
GOAL 3. TEACHING A NEW GENERATION
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By collaborating with the NC Cooperative Extension, Keep Gastonia Beautiful, Girl Scouts and health leaders, we are exposing a new generation to the health and economic benefits of gardening.
GOAL 4. KNOWING OUR NEIGHBORS
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Imagine our city leaders, faith communities and homeless population working side by side. There is a special bond created when people dirty their hands together for a common purpose.
Teach a new generation how to grow.
History
The Rotary Community Garden began as a simple idea to plant vegetables in a vacant lot, frequented by the homeless, to beautify the property and feed the hungry. Gastonia-based dentist Dr. Will Current, then the president of the Rotary Club of Gastonia, proposed the idea of building the garden as a club project. But costs quickly escalated when the City of Gastonia advised it would require––amongst other things––a brick-supported fence. Before investing the funds to begin building, club members knew a long-term commitment was needed from David Royster, the property-owner. After many conversations with Current, Royster generously donated the property to the Rotary Club. And when the garden received its own independent charity status in 2014, the property was transferred, and the garden got set to grow.
The garden has 26 raised beds for produce and an additional two for sunflowers and other colorful plants. These are tended by individual volunteers, civic organizations, churches and clubs and by groups that receive the produce. Each spring, volunteers make sure the gardens are cleared of weeds; the soil is replenished; and that seeds are put in the ground for summer harvest. The garden grows nearly year-round, with just two months off in the winter months to let the soil rest.
“Make new friends from all walks of life.”
Volunteer
You can be a part of the Rotary Community Garden’s great legacy of service by volunteering to tend a bed (or two); help with garden cleanup days; donate to the garden, either directly or through its fundraising events; provide in-kind goods and services, such as topsoil, mulch, plants, gardening tools, gravel and much more. Money raised by the garden is used to offset the costs of water, soil, compost, electricity, insurance and other essentials for gardening at the site. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please reach out to us with this form.
Teens Changing Gaston County tending to their raised bed!
BECOME A GROWER!
Join dozens of other garden gurus by volunteering your church, club, civic group or gal pals to adopt and tend a bed (or two). Families are encouraged to adopt a bed, too — it’s a great way to bond in the outdoors, in nature. Some of our growing groups have included: Girl Scouts, First United Methodist Church, RJC Women’s Group, Gastonia Evening Rotary, Off the Streets, RJC Women’s Club, Cornerstone Ministry, Literacy Council, Southminster Presbyterian, Magnolia Garden Club, Teens Changing Gaston County, Edokpia Garden, First Baptist Church, Alley Cats, Garden of Eatin’ and more!
Members of the Rotary Garden Board. (Photo by Dede Beckner)
JOIN THE BOARD!
The Rotary Community Garden Board is a group of dedicated, fun-loving folks who do everything from raising money to maintaining the garden and researching best building practices. We’re always looking for people who are passionate about our mission and our community and who have something to offer. So if you’d rather spread the word than spread mulch, and the idea of the Community Garden intrigues you, give us a shout!
Garden supporters attending our annual fundraiser. (Photo by Dede Beckner)
BECOME A DONOR!
The Garden’s budget is modest — it has no paid staff — but there are costs associated with growing good produce: water and electricity, mulch, insect control, seeds, building and fence repairs, insurance, parking lot maintenance and so on (and on and on). We invite you to help sustain your community Garden through a financial gift. Use the Contact Us section to find out where to send a check, or use the convenient PayPal Donate button below, or the MightyCause mini donation form link found at the very bottom of this page. We’d also love to see you at our annual fundraiser held in the Garden! You might wish to help by donating items we need (see our WISH LIST), or by donating your mad design skills (garden, app, buildings and more)…the list goes on. You can also shop through Amazon Smile and list the Garden as your beneficiary. A portion of your purchase will come to us, and there’s no extra cost to you!
Please let us know if you’d like to donate your time, talents, or
treasure to the Garden, by reaching out with the Volunteer form above.