Giving Thanks and Looking Forward to 2015

Hello everyone. My name is Alex Sanders and I am the Grow Appalachia Site Supervisor at Project Worth Outreach located in Menifee County Kentucky.

I don’t know about your region but in Menifee County it has turned very cold way to early in the year. It is not even winter, according to the calendar, but you couldn’t prove it by the low temperatures we have faced already this year. I hope this is not a omen for things to come before spring.

Speaking of spring, we at Project Worth Outreach are very excited about our prospects for our fourth year participating in the Grow Appalachia Gardening Program. We have had a lot of interest from people who have not been apart of the program. These potential gardeners are excited and raring to go. We believe it is always an advantage to infuse new blood into any project whenever possible. Gail and I have held a few preliminary meetings about next year’s program and tossed about several ideas including some new and creative ones. One of these ideas that I am very intrigued by is me spearheading participants involvement in our brand new organic mart. In this endeavor I would oversee the organic mart and keep records on whose is selling produce. I would even sell the produce for them if they would only donate it to be sold. Project Worth Outreach would not receive anything from this activity except for the information for our Grow Appalachia reports. Keep in mind that this idea is in the very early stages of implementation and needs time to expand and grow but the possibilities are huge and I want to make sure we market as much produce as possible. I will oversee all aspects of this idea from planting to growing to harvesting to certifications {Kentucky Proud , all local regulations} to advertising and promotions to selling, etc. I truly believe this is a tremendous opportunity to advance our marketing totals. Of course I will perform this duty as well as my other responsibilities as the Grow Appalachia Site Supervisor at Project Worth Outreach. This is only one of the Ideas Gail and I have discussed but we will have more discussion in the very near future.

Speaking of Gail, I just want to let everyone know that she is improving on a daily basis. I speak to her on a daily basis by phone and she is running at Project Worth Outreach from her hospital bed at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. She wanted me ti convey her thanks to everyone for all the cards, prayers, thoughts and concerns during her recovery from this auto accident. She also wanted everyone to know she is going to recover completely from this set back in due time. She said she will be home and back in the office by no later than Christmas or the end of the year. Knowing Gail Mills as I do, there is not a single doubt that she will do exactly as she says.

As we close out the 2014 Grow Appalachia Gardening Program and look forward to 2015, we at Project Worth Outreach want to say thank you to all of those that have assisted us in 2014. We also want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

Project Worth Outreach Staff and Volunteers