<html><head><style type='text/css'>p { margin: 0; }</style></head><body><div style='font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; color: #6600CC'>Hi Althea!<br><br>Good to know that you will be working on this project. I have always been an advocate community service projects. I think that they are one way in which to have the students learn by doing.<br><br>I am glad that you are considering having your students work on a community garden project. A group of local folks interested in promoting local sustainable foods, FIG, is considering undertaking just such a project. I have copied this email to Dan Barclay, a history professor at Monmouth, who is coordinating this subcommittee. It would be great if you could coordinate with Dan and FIG. I think that having the students do a lot of the groundwork, is a wonderful idea. As for whether or not this project could be accomplished in one semester or not, I am not sure, but I do know that the this is a project that interests a lot of people and would be of great benefit to the community.<br><br>I have had Kylie as a student in the past and she is great to work with. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. I hope that you contact Dan and are able to begin a conversation with him soon. Keep me posted!<br><br>cheers, heather<br><br>----- Original Message -----<br>From: "Althea K Alton" <AK-Alton1@wiu.edu><br>To: "Heather L McIlvaine-Newsad" <H-Mcilvaine-newsad@wiu.edu><br>Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 8:20:37 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central<br>Subject: LAS 195<br><br>Hi Heather,<br><br>I will be coordinating the community projects for the Macomb group of LAS students. I had originally planned to have the students work with Loaves and Fishes to develop a plan whereby student could be more involved in our food pantry.<br>It looks like we'll have 4 students and that's really more than can work on the project.<br><br>One project I would be excited about is having students develop a plan for a community garden somewhere in Macomb or at WIU. I envision students making arrangements for a site, writing the guidelines for the garden, planning the advertising to the community and looking for sources to help fund the project-- perhaps writing a small grant proposal. I think that this project could provide enough work/challenge for all 4 students to work together although 1 or 2 students might still want to work with the food pantry<br><br>I know you have experience with CSA and local food initiatives. Do you think this project is feasible and that I could get it going this semester? Would you be willing to lend your advice to the project. <br><br>At least one of the students is a Macomb resident- Kiley Davenport- and might be interested in seeing the project through the summer.<br><br>Thanks in advance for your input.<br><br>Best regards,<br><br>Althea<br><br><br><br><br>Althea K. Alton Ph.D.<br>Associate Professor of Biological Sciences<br>Coordinator, <br>Baccalaureate Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)<br>Western Illinois University<br>1 University Circle<br>Macomb, IL 61455<br>Tel. 309-298-3025<br><br><br>-- <br>Dr. Heather McIlvaine-Newsad <br>Associate Professor of Anthropology<br>Department of Sociology & Anthropology<br>Western Illinois University<br>Macomb, IL 61455<br><br>Tel. 309.298.1264<br>h-mcilvaine-newsad@wiu.edu<br>www.drmcilvaine.com<br><br>"If you're really listening, if you're awake to the poignant beauty of the<br>world, your heart breaks regularly. In fact, your heart is made to break; its<br>purpose is to burst open again and again so that it can hold ever-more<br>wonders." Andrew Harvey, *The Return of the Mother*<br><br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed<br>citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that<br>ever has." -Margaret Mead<br></div></body></html>