Getting Out in the Community – Medford Open Streets Update

The Covid-19 pandemic was seriously disruptive for us all.  Forced to shelter at home, we were unable to participate in our usual activities.  Any new activities involving meeting with other gardeners were not to be done.  One of the great benefits of participating in a volunteer organization is the opportunities it affords us to socialize and do the things we enjoy doing with like-minded people.  We were robbed of these opportunities for nearly three years.  During the pandemic, many organizations such as ours lost several of their members.

Now at last we can get back to what we enjoy doing: sharing our love of gardening!  We have finally started getting back together with our in-person meetings, the annual picnic, Spring Garden Fair, Plant Pop-Up Sales, and so on.  It feels great to at least get partially back to normal!  Progress is made one step at a time.

Earlier this year, the City of Medford invited JCMGA to participate in the Medford Open Streets event, on May 20.  The Community Outreach Working Group discussed this opportunity.  We decided it was important to get JCMGA reconnected with the community.

Our Medford Open Streets ad hoc committee – Colet Allen, Marcie Katz, and Barbara Low – organized a JCMGA booth for this event.  We tried to get creative as we organized our volunteers and gathered materials for display.

The result was a very positive representation of JCMGA at the Medford Open Streets.  For this, we want to give recognition to our volunteers: Colet Allen, Marcie Katz, Barbara Steely, John Kobal, Sandy Hammond, Regula Pepi, Rob McWhorter, Kate McCaffrey, Janelle Whitfield, Marcia Harris, and Barbara Low.  We so appreciated your wonderful energy and smiling faces!  You did a great Job representing JCMGA.  Thank you!