Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Celebrate Fresh Fruits & Vegetables This Sat., July 28 at the North City Farmers’ Market Vegetapalooza…AND vote for NCFM in America’s Favorite Farmers Markets Contest

Because this summer has been so challenging for so many farmers, now is as good a time as any to express our appreciation for all they do to make it possible for us to eat fruits and vegetables.  So, come on out to thank our farmers who grow the foods we eat THIS SATURDAY, July 28, at Vegetapalooza, the North City Farmers’ Market’s celebration of fresh fruits and vegetables and other good food and crafts.

Also on the schedule for this week will be live music courtesy of Ragged Blade Band, children’s activities brought to us by the Magic House, face painting, a salsa-making contest, and chances to win fresh pies.

Although most of us are hunkering down and staying indoors to avoid the heat wave this week, the forecast for Saturday suggests that it’ll be the best day to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.  With a forecast of 79 degrees for the market’s opening at 9 a.m., it’ll be downright pleasant at Crown Square in the heart of Old North St. Louis.

Vote for North City Farmers’ Market in the America’s Favorite Farmers’ Markets Contest

While you’re making all of the arrangements to come on out to join us on Saturday, there is another way to help the market.  Once again the North City Farmers’ Market is entered into American Farmland Trust’s America’s Favorite Farmers’ Markets contest.  If you think the market is a great amenity and resource for the Old North community or even if you just think it’s a fun thing to do on a Saturday morning, then please vote to support North City Farmers’ Market.  Click HERE to be taken to the contest page and then search for our market by typing in “North City Farmers’ Market” in the appropriate spot - and cast your vote!  We’ll report back on the progress as the contest continues through the summer.

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• 13th Street Community Garden, 14th Street Mall, Art in Old North, Community Gardens, Crown Square, Life in ONSL, ONSL amenities, Old North Gallery (formerly known as Crown Village Gallery), Old North Grocery Co-op, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, Uncategorized, Volunteer Opportunities, sustainability
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Thursday, July 19, 2012

ONSLRG Welcomes Claire Wolff as Community Engagement Specialist

As of last week, Claire Wolff has joined the staff of Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, taking on the role of Community Engagement Specialist.

ONSLRG established this new position to expand the organization’s capacity to involve residents of the neighborhood in our comprehensive revitalization efforts throughout Old North.  Working closely with the Social Outreach Committee, Claire will assist with planning Quality of Life meetings and will coordinate outreach for a range of projects, such as the North City Farmers’ Market. Claire will also work closely with partner organizations to ensure that their programming serves the needs of residents in Old North and to get the word out to residents about the programming and services available to them in the neighborhood.

ONSLRG has been able to create this new position thanks to financial support from Equifax Foundation and Incarnate Word Foundation.  We greatly appreciate the generosity of both foundations and their support for ONSLRG’s mission to revitalize the physical and social dimensions of Old North in a manner that respects the community’s historic, cultural, and urban character.

Claire stood out in a pool of extremely qualified candidates because she brings to the job just about everything we were looking for with this new position.  As a neighborhood resident who’s worked in the community for a number of years, including as the manager of the Urban Studio Cafe (as pictured above in a 2011 issue of St. Louis Magazine), Claire knows the community as well as almost anybody.  Better yet, Claire’s friendly and engaging personality wins over just about everybody who meets her.  With a Masters in Social Work from Washington University’s Brown School, Claire has served as a supervisor for MSW practicum students who’ve worked for us, so Claire already has supervisory experience and is on the approved field instructor list at all of the area social work schools, which will be very helpful as we continue to receive interest from students seeking internships with ONSLRG.

As ONSLRG seeks to become more financially stable and sustainable, Claire’s experience with grant writing (and the whole grant process from research through managing and reporting on grants after approval) should come in handy.

If you see Claire out and around in the neighborhood, please welcome her to our staff and thank her for joining us.

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• Life in ONSL, ONSL amenities, ONSL people, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, Outreach, Uncategorized
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Friday, July 13, 2012

Join Us Sat., July 14 (& EVERY Saturday) for Music, Children’s Activities, and Good Food at North City Farmers’ Market

After hiding out indoors for the past several weeks, it’s now safe to come on out to enjoy a non-triple-digit degree Saturday morning at the North City Farmers’ Market.  This week the market will feature some great, live music provided by the Friendly Henrys, children’s activities brought to us by St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and cooking demonstrations by Cooking Matters, and, as always, some great, fresh, locally produced foods.  This week we get to welcome back Willie Macklin (pictured below), one of our long-time, farmer-vendors.

For regular updates and pictures of the market, check out the NCFM blog at www.NorthCityFarmersMarket.blogspot.com.

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• 13th Street Community Garden, 14th Street Mall, Crown Square, North City Farmers' Market, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, sustainability
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