My name is Kyra Lammers and I'll be a senior at Denison University in the fall. I'm majoring in English literature and minoring in economics and bluegrass (music). Originally, I'm from New Jersey, but home for me is now a large farm in Kutztown, PA.
Living on a farm is what originally got me interested in working with Ohio Campus Compact this summer. My family is very dedicated to pursuing green initiatives and we recently installed a large solar array. We're now at net zero energy use! We also have a large garden, and I cannot overstate how much I love having fresh fruits and vegetables to eat every day. Because of my own experience with (and love of) fresh fruits and vegetables, working with community partners to initiate programs to educate low-income communities about the importance of healthy food was an immediate draw to the VISTA program. I can't wait to work more closely with our partners to grow, prepare, and educate!
Lia, Glenn, and I (the three VISTA summer associates here at Denison University in Granville) will be working with quite a few community partners to expand local healthy food programs and community gardens. They include the 6th Street Garden, the Western Garden, CTEC and the Garden on the Square (all in Newark), the First Presbyterian Church in Granville and the Granville Farmer's Markets, the United Methodist Church and Community Garden in Croton, and the Salvation Army in Newark. We'll be doing hands-on work in most of the gardens, particularly in Croton, which is pretty under-developed. We're also working to expand the USDA Summer Lunch program that the Salvation Army has in place, and we're hoping to get some of those children involved in local gardens, as well. We face a lot of challenges, but with hard work and perseverance, we'll be successful!
We are very excited to have you working at OCC on the Licking Co. initiatives!
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