Grow Local Colorado Day: May 14th
In support of the Grow Local Colorado
Campaign for 2009 Gardens in 2009
WHEREAS, Denver is committed to fostering the health of our environment and the health of our diverse populations as a fundamental aspect to the livability of our community; and the ability to grow food in our own yards can dually have a powerful positive effect on our environment and significantly reduce family budget costs for healthy food; and
WHEREAS, the local urban agriculture movement is spurring a new, rapidly growing job sector and the business of gardening is thriving despite the current economic downturn; and the urban environment is the best place to capture the benefits of local economies as a vital means to reduce dependency on foreign countries and the types of trade that are costly to our health and environment; and
WHEREAS, Denver was a leader in the Victory Garden movement of the 1940s which, led by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, resulted in over 20 million Americans growing their own food in their own yards; including school groups and scout troops that cleaned up vacant lots and planted gardens, factory workers that transformed land near their work places into plots to grow vegetables, and soldiers that grew huge military base gardens; and at the height of the Victory Garden campaign approximately forty percent of the country’s produce came from our own yards; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Roosevelt planted a vegetable garden on the White House South Lawn to kick off her campaign, current First Lady Michelle Obama has brought the vegetable garden back to the White House by recently planting a huge an organic vegetable garden for her family, guests and donation to local food pantries; and
WHEREAS, the City of Denver was a prominent participant in First Lady Roosevelt’s 1940s campaign for gardens and responded quickly by immediately establishing a Victory Garden Office; and on March 28, 1943, Mayor Benjamin Stapleton dedicated Denver’s first Victory Garden, saying, “The City of Denver believes this is the most important community project that we have ever undertaken;” and Rocky Mountain News Editor Jack Foster said, “No other city has stepped out with the vigor that Denver has in answering the government’s call for Victory Gardens;” and Denver’s slogan was a “Victory Garden on Every Lot”; and
WHEREAS, the Grow Local campaign goals include: establishing 2009 new gardens in Denver this year; and connecting people who want to grow food with unused space, resources and expertise on their website at growlocalcolorado.org; and promoting local food production -- from yard gardens and container gardens to commercial urban agriculture.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER
:Section 1. That the Denver City Council hereby honors our strong history of gardens and affirms our commitment to foster healthy Denver communities, and pledges to actively support Grow Local’s effort to promote gardens and urges all citizens of Denver to plant vegetables in their yards.
Section 2. That the Clerk of the City and County of Denver shall attest and affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that copies be transmitted to Grow Local.
Campaign for 2009 Gardens in 2009
WHEREAS, Denver is committed to fostering the health of our environment and the health of our diverse populations as a fundamental aspect to the livability of our community; and the ability to grow food in our own yards can dually have a powerful positive effect on our environment and significantly reduce family budget costs for healthy food; and
WHEREAS, the local urban agriculture movement is spurring a new, rapidly growing job sector and the business of gardening is thriving despite the current economic downturn; and the urban environment is the best place to capture the benefits of local economies as a vital means to reduce dependency on foreign countries and the types of trade that are costly to our health and environment; and
WHEREAS, Denver was a leader in the Victory Garden movement of the 1940s which, led by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, resulted in over 20 million Americans growing their own food in their own yards; including school groups and scout troops that cleaned up vacant lots and planted gardens, factory workers that transformed land near their work places into plots to grow vegetables, and soldiers that grew huge military base gardens; and at the height of the Victory Garden campaign approximately forty percent of the country’s produce came from our own yards; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Roosevelt planted a vegetable garden on the White House South Lawn to kick off her campaign, current First Lady Michelle Obama has brought the vegetable garden back to the White House by recently planting a huge an organic vegetable garden for her family, guests and donation to local food pantries; and
WHEREAS, the City of Denver was a prominent participant in First Lady Roosevelt’s 1940s campaign for gardens and responded quickly by immediately establishing a Victory Garden Office; and on March 28, 1943, Mayor Benjamin Stapleton dedicated Denver’s first Victory Garden, saying, “The City of Denver believes this is the most important community project that we have ever undertaken;” and Rocky Mountain News Editor Jack Foster said, “No other city has stepped out with the vigor that Denver has in answering the government’s call for Victory Gardens;” and Denver’s slogan was a “Victory Garden on Every Lot”; and
WHEREAS, the Grow Local campaign goals include: establishing 2009 new gardens in Denver this year; and connecting people who want to grow food with unused space, resources and expertise on their website at growlocalcolorado.org; and promoting local food production -- from yard gardens and container gardens to commercial urban agriculture.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER
:Section 1. That the Denver City Council hereby honors our strong history of gardens and affirms our commitment to foster healthy Denver communities, and pledges to actively support Grow Local’s effort to promote gardens and urges all citizens of Denver to plant vegetables in their yards.
Section 2. That the Clerk of the City and County of Denver shall attest and affix the seal of the City and County of Denver to this proclamation and that copies be transmitted to Grow Local.
