Page 12 - Dec Banner 2017_Neat

Page 12 December 2017 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Inspiring Local Teenager from Smithsburg Creates

Garden to Diminish Hunger in Community

James Rada, Jr.

Laura Knotts’ garden has produced have to design the project, but she
over 1,100 pounds of squash, zucchini, also had to show leadership in it and
peppers, tomatoes, and herbs, since this have at least one hundred hours of
past June. Yet, she hasn’t tasted any of participation.
it. All of the produce is donated to New “I looked around and saw New
Hope Ministries in Mechanicsburg, Hope Ministries and thought it was
Pennsylvania, to be given out to families an organization that I could help
in need. out,” Knotts said. “I asked what they
“Every load of produce that we’ve needed, and Jeanne told me there was
had come in is gone the next day,” said always a need for a fresh source of
Jeanne Troy, New Hope Ministries produce.”
northern region gift officer. “It is such a The pantry typically receives only
premium to have fresh produce.” canned or boxed items. Knotts came
New Hope Ministries serves around up with the idea of creating a garden
2,900 people a month. Because of that could provide needed pesticide-
the availability of the herbs and free, fresh produce for the pantry.
vegetables from Knotts’ garden, New It also tied in with Knotts goal of
Hope Ministries is now teaching the becoming a nutritionist when she
families it serves how to cook with fresh starts college next fall.
vegetables. The garden is now a permanent
Knotts, a seventeen- part of the West
Seventeen-year-old Laura Knotts of
year-old high school Smithsburg donated 1,100 pounds of fresh Shore Evangelical
senior from Smithsburg, produce, from the garden she created Free Church in
is a member of the and built, to New Hope Ministries for the Mechanicsburg, where
American Heritage hungry in need. the plot is located.
Girls. Her troop “She set up a
meets in Dillsburg, plan for keeping it
Pennslyvania, which running for the next
is why she located her few years,” Troy said.
garden in Pennsylvania. “Next season, all we
The garden is 40 by 60 have to do is clean up
feet, and she arranged the ground, till it, and
for the land and plant seeds.” Shop Local
equipment. She also Knotts said that she
made sure that there are would like the see the Support Y our
volunteers to maintain Mechanicsburg garden Community!
the garden. The Ames enlarged to provide
Charitable Foundation more for New Hope
donated the tools for the Photos Courtesy of New Hope Ministries Ministries. She would Pratronize
garden work, built the also like to see other
storage shed, and built the fencing. earn her Stars and Stripes Award, churches duplicate the idea on their your local
Knotts got the idea for the garden the highest award in the American properties to give fresh produce to businesses.
when she was looking for a project to Heritage Girls. Not only did Knotts their local food pantries.