Checking Out Plant A Seed, Nourish A Community. By Tania Moffat
Winnipeg Airports Authority is growing for the community. N
ot only does the Winnipeg Richardson Interna- tional Airport have a farmer tilling their fields, Winnipeg Airports Authority staff “grow a row” for families in need. Every summer, dedicated
employees volunteer their time to plant, tend and harvest a garden of hope. On Greening Day, held annually at the beginning of
June, the airport campus is transformed. Gorgeous an- nuals are arranged in planters around the campus and a vegetable garden is planted west of 7-Eleven. It’s a big day. A blanket of colour and summer cheer descends over the grounds. “Annually, Greening Day sees our team get down in the
dirt. Planting flowers, cleaning the airport grounds and most importantly starting our garden for Winnipeg Har- vest,” says Barry Rempel, president and CEO of Winni- peg Airports Authority. “It is an incredible opportunity for our staff to come together and give something back to our community. We strongly encourage other businesses to jump on board with Winnipeg Harvest’s Grow-A-Row program.” Grow-A-Row was created in 1986 when Winnipeg
74 • Summer 2015
residents Ron and Eunice O’Donovan produced more potatoes in their backyard garden than they could con- sume. Instead of discarding the potatoes, they donated them to the food bank. Te response to their generosity was so positive they decided to encourage others in their own neighbourhood to donate their surplus vegetables to Winnipeg Harvest. Tus, the Grow-A-Row campaign was born. It has been growing ever since. For the last 19 years, Winnipeg Airports Authority has donated hundreds of boxes of garden-fresh produce through this program to help nourish hungry families. In total, they have donated approximately 40,000 pounds of produce to fight hunger in Winnipeg. Root crops such as beets, onions and potatoes, as well as
corn, tomatoes and occasionally pumpkins and zucchini are grown. Some 60,229 individuals, nearly half of them children, are fed from the garden’s produce. Te garden is a source of pride and just one way that employees give back to the community. Perhaps even more enlightening is the way Winnipeg
Airports Authority has helped inspire others in the com- munity to grow an extra row for Winnipeg Harvest. Last
The Hub
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