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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Office of the Mayor <br /> <br />NEWS RELEASE <br />Friday, February 26, 2010 <br />4:00 pm <br /> <br /> Contact: <br />Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 574-235-5855/ <br />udith Rubleske, R.N., Nutritionist, St. Joseph County WIC, <br /> 876-1564 or J <br /> Memorial Hospital, 647-2142 <br /> <br />Unity/Community Gardens celebrate a successful season <br /> <br />South Bend, IN <br />: In celebration of a successful 2009 growing season, members of the <br />West Side Butternut Squash Unity Garden, Cindy Wieczorek and Judith Rubleske, joined with <br />Mayor Steve Luecke in presenting two squash - the largest of the bountiful harvest of last year’s <br />Unity Garden, to St. Margaret’s House. “We simply want to share with you the joy of our <br />garden and thank the staff in our city government for their assistance and cooperation in helping <br />make our neighborhood garden possible - especially Michael Divita of the Div. of Community & <br />Economic Dev., Ed Herman, SB Water Works, and Ann Merritt and John Ranschaert, Organic <br />Resources,” stated Judith Rubleske, lead gardener of Poland St. and Butternut Squash Unity <br />Gardens and board member for the Michiana Organic Grower’s Co-op. <br /> <br />“The city is proud to partner with the Unity and Community Gardens in the greater South Bend <br />area to promote healthy living and a strong and vibrant Green Community that preserves green <br />space and beautifies our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Luecke. “We truly admire and appreciate <br />their efforts to share this bounty with St. Margaret’s House and to demonstrate a proactive way <br />for all families to produce nutritious food while helping to lower everyday expenses, as well.” <br /> <br />The butternut squash, each weighing 8 lbs., were <br />harvested September 27 and have been kept cool <br />and dry. Their flavor actually improves and <br />sweetens after at least a month or two of storage. <br />In addition, the Michiana Organic Growers Co-op also <br />contributed a box of squash to St. Margaret’s House. <br />On one small vacant city lot, which is one-tenth of <br />an acre, The West Side Butternut Squash Community <br />Garden produced 4,000 pounds of a nutritious, <br />easy-to-store, versatile, easy-to-prepare winter vegetables. <br />This is equivalent to almost 800 squash! <br />-more- <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />