By Madisyn Hahn
Photos by Madisyn Hahn

May 31, 2019

Community Crops has been a local nonprofit here in Lincoln for 16 years. It helps provide education advocacy and experiences for healthy food choices and has ten community gardens serving almost 1,000 gardeners.

Community Crops coordinates a wide variety of gardens that beautify the city, spreading throughout Lincoln from Oak Lake Church to 1st Presbyterian. One event that it has held for eight years now, and brings these different gardens together, is its Community Crops Garden Gala.

Executive Director of Community Crops, David Grabarkewitz said, “The gala will go from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. It will be held at our Southern Heights Garden at South 4 St. and Old Cheney Road, just behind the Southern Heights Presbyterian Church. We will have a live jazz band from noon until 1 p.m. and a staged reading of an excerpt of ‘My Antonia’ with the Willa Cather Archives. Tacos Azteca will be serving delicious food and families are encouraged to bring a picnic!”

With attendance expected to exceed 300, live entertainment, good weather and great food, this year’s event will be something special. Community Crops always finds a way to give back, while educating people of all ages and this event is only one of many ways it does that.

“This event showcases the importance and beauty of creating your own food source,” Grabarkewitz said. “But, it also allows families to share the joy of gardening together.”

This Garden Gala held by Community Crops showcases a wide variety of diversity from ages to cultural backgrounds.

“We have young people as young as 5 years old, and people in their 80’s,” Grabarkewitz said. “But, the most rewarding thing is seeing so many diverse Lincolnites together in one place.”

To find out more about Community Crops visit their website. Click here for more information and updates about the Annual Garden Gala event.

KZUM is a sponsor of the Community Crops garden at Peter Pan Park. Photos of the garden can be seen below.

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Madisyn Hahn is a multimedia intern with KZUM.