>> ... Next Generation ...

etroit

Young adults lend a hand
and grow some good.

EMILY ZUSSMAN I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

s Tigers
fans walked
by in their
orange and
blue attire headed to
Comerica Park, 15 young
adults spent a Tuesday
night across the street
from MGM Grand Casino
digging, weeding and
hammering at the Keep
Growing Detroit Plum
Street Market Garden.
The evening was
one in a series of food
justice-focused volunteer
opportunities and
events that Federation's
111
NEXTGen Detroit and
A group shot of all the volunteers
Repair the World are
partnering together on
"Keep Growing Detroit brings
this spring and summer.
together so many things that I love,"
Keep Growing Detroit is a nonprofit
said Charlie Frank, Repair the World
organization that offers programs,
fellow. "I not only get to grow food,
educational opportunities and services
but I also build relationships with other
to promote food sovereignty in the
growers and teach others the lifelong
city of Detroit. The Plum Street Market
skill of gardening. Keep Growing
Garden, located on a 1.75-acre plot
Detroit builds community around
of land owned by the MGM Grand
providing fresh, healthy, accessible
Casino, is one of the largest in the
food to Detroiters, and I can dig that!"
Keep Growing Detroit system and
The volunteers prepared two large
provides transplants and workshops to
beds for growing leeks, tomatoes
hundreds of urban growers.
and other vegetables, which included
weeding, digging trenches for walking
in between the beds and hammering in
posts where tomatoes will grow.
"We got our fingernails dirty, but
more importantly, we did some good,"
said Seth Fisher, chair of NEXTGen
Volunteers.
As the sun began to set, Frank led
a tour of the garden's indoor and
outdoor facilities. Volunteers moved
from plant bed to plant bed and saw
the variety of vegetables, fruits and
perennials that are growing right in the
heart of the city.
"The garden was any veggie-
lover's dream: asparagus, carrots and
galore!" said Ryan Achtman, a
A kale
NEXTGen Detroit volunteer. "We even
Abby Rubin, Repair the World
got to taste some fresh-picked arugula.
Fellow, and volunteers Hannah
It was inspiring to see this plot of

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Miller and Jacob Allen

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My son, Steven, and his friends are
graduating, and the party season is
nonstop. The kids have worked hard
all year; they deserve to have a good
time, but I want them to be safe. I
don't want things to get out
of control with alcohol or drugs.

Steven asked if they could have the
after-prom party at our house, and
I'm not sure what to say. He said
the kids will probably be drinking,
and I'm not comfortable with that.
On the other hand, if I say no, they'll
go somewhere else to drink, which
could be worse. At least at our house
I can keep an eye on them and
make sure no one drives home after
drinking. I found out it's illegal to let
minors drink when they're under our
supervision, even if we don't serve it
to them. I know other parents allow
it, but I don't believe in breaking the
law. And what if someone got sick or
hurt? One of my daughter's friends
got alcohol poisoning last year at a
party; she ended up in the hospital.
I'd never forgive myself if that
happened at our house; plus,
we could be legally responsible.

The whole situation scares me.
They're good kids, but I know smart
people can do stupid things when
they've had too much to drink.
Steven keeps reminding me he's
going away to college in the fall,
and we won't be supervising his
every move. I realize that, but in
the meantime, I want a say in what
my son does and what happens in
my own home. I don't want to be a
"party pooper," but this is supposed
to be a celebratory season — I'd
hate to see it end in tragedy.

Moishe House residents and
volunteers Joshua Stewart and
Jordan Rosenbaum

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land in the middle of Detroit bringing
new life and food into the world. This
experience showed me how accessible
it is to grow our own food during the
summer months."
If you would like to volunteer at
the Plum Street Market Garden, Keep
Growing Detroit offers open volunteer
hours every Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. until
June 30. To learn more about NEXTGen
Detroit Volunteer opportunities, contact
Sarah Snider at snider@jfmd.org . ❑

An initiative of the Schulman Fund

SUPPORT &
FRIENDSHIP
FOR ALL

248-788-8888
rabbiyarden@friendshipcircle.org
thefriendshiphouse.org

1991430

June 4 • 2015

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