A New Season

Summer, my favorite time of year, flew by in the blink of an eye. September raced along, too, even as I continued to swim as often as possible. Tomorrow is October!So, I'll shift gears and gear up. We need to start planning for the Holiday Dinner on Christmas Day, as well as the fundraising effort so that we can provide meals and giftbags for about 350 people and continue our other endeavors.And even in the midst of winter, we'll be planning next year's garden programs through our partnership with Vermont Community Garden Network. "HANDS in the Dirt" was able to provide 5 garden programs at the following locations: Archibald Community Gardens (intergenerational with "Shaun's House" childcare and seniors), Canal Street Veterans Housing (intergenerational for vets transitioning from homelessness), Ethan Allen Residence (long-term skilled nursing care with some residents with dementia), St. Michael's College (large garden plots for intergenerational veterans garden), and Thayer Apartments (senior housing where we had a nutrition and cooking program based on what seniors received in their CSA share).I'd like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for "lending a hand" by donating gifts, time, and money so that we can continue to expand our reach. Your generosity allows us to include more seniors all the time. Much gratitude!