“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” ― Margaret Mead
Shelly Mayberry, Michelle Hibbs and Beverly Wardwell, RN, BSN are the faces behind the success of the Jam the Gym Health Fair at the Lister Elementary School in Garland, Texas (November 6, 2014). Thank you for all that you do for the children in our community.
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Members of Loving Garland Green had the pleasure of being invited to participate in the "Jam the Gym Health Fair" held on Thursday evening (Nov 6) at the Lister Elementary school. Other vendors represented included the American Heart Association; Baylor School of Dentistry; City of Garland Environmental Waste Re-cycling; Counselor-Bullying, Drug Awareness and Peer Pressure; Garland Health Department; Garland Office of Emergency Management; Lakepointe Bone and Joint, Loving and Logic Parenting Class Information; Medical Center of Plano - blood pressure screenings; North Texas Poison Center; Parkway Dental; Pedia Med Night Clinic; School Resource Officer - Bicycle Safety; and WIC.
Loving Garland Green member, James Roney talks with a pupil from Lister Elementary about organic pest control.
Last night several members of Loving Garland Green and I had the pleasure to participate in the school's Jam the Gym Health Fair. Beverly Wardwell, RN, the school nurse, plays a very active role in teaching the pupils at Lister Elementary how to get healthy and stay healthy. Among other things, she encourages them to eat from the rainbow and include a variety of colorful foods in their diet--from carrots to watermelons; from green beans to beets. She is now teaming up with Michael Floyd, a fifth grade teacher at Lister, to create a garden for the school and teach children how to not only eat food from the rainbow, but to also teach them how to grow the plants.
Carol and Daniel, members of Loving Garland Green, brought their worm farm to the event. For the Loving Garland Green table, it was a popularity draw between their worm farm and the popcorn machine that James and his wife Lilly brought and served up free sacks of popcorn from to the kiddos and their parents.
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PREVIEW OF MORE TO COME AT LISTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Michael Floyd - Fifth Grade Teacher at Lister Elementary School
Speaking of starting ripples in the community lake, take a good look at this rock. Michael Floyd, fifth grade teacher at Lister Elementary School, began to move and shake things in the right direction last spring. He stuck with it until his school had a greenhouse installed in the back of the school. Pupils in Michael's class were very enthusiastic about the greenhouse, and this year Michael hopes to get even more use from the greenshouse. Last year the installation was completed just as things began to warm up here in Garland. As you may know, greenhouses are great for November, December, January, February and a week or two in March; however, after that. . . .not so much.
Michael is already making use of rainwater harvesting. There are three rain barrels that he has set up and are operational: One is connected to the greenhouse and the other two are attached to the gutter system of the school. But if you think Michael's ambitions stop there, you are wrong. He hopes to create a raised garden bed for each grade level at Lister Elementary School so that all the children at Lister can participate in the rewarding and educational experience of gardening. And he is busy working on a grant assist with the project.
In the meantime if you have any spare cash or elbow grease, please contact Michael at 214-681-2398. I'm sure he would love to hear from you.
Lister is already taking advantage of rainwater harvesting potential from the roof of the school building as shown below. Two rainbarrels are connected to the roof.
The greenhouse currently in place at Lister Elementary also harvests rainwater from its roof.
