Media Contact: Kristy Jozwiak, 602-741-5161, [email protected]

MEDIA ALERT

TEMPE ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES TO BEAUTIFY CITY OF TEMPE’S COMMUNITY GARDENS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 3

Hospital Workers Volunteer Their Time to Help the City’s Community Gardens to Grow High-Quality Organic Fruits and Vegetables

A good diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is an integral part of healthy living. To help increase access to locally-grown and high-quality organic fruits and vegetables, employees from Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital and members of the community will volunteer their time and green thumbs to the city’s community gardens on Saturday, March 3, from 7 a.m. to noon. Armed with rakes, spades and wheelbarrows, the team will tidy and refresh garden plots, as well as plant trees and install raised garden beds.

Volunteers of all ages will roll up their sleeves to help organize, clean and work on Tempe’s various community gardens, including the Ellertson/Wilson Garden, Broadmor Elementary School Garden, Clark Park Garden, The Centers for Habilitation (TCH), and Escalante Garden. This community enrichment and beautification project was organized by Tempe Cares, a Tempe Leadership program. Founded in 1991, Tempe Cares was the inspiration of former Tempe City Councilwoman Carol E. Smith, who wanted to see the community come together to help the greater good.

The spirit of giving back is strong at Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital. The once 10-bed hospital is now an 87-bed facility offering a wide range of health care services – from emergency and intensive care support to pain management, orthopedics, sports medicine, and bariatrics. Through this growth, the hospital team has never lost sight of giving back to the community it serves.

Not only will the harvest from these gardens help put healthy fresh produce on dinner tables throughout the city, but it is an opportunity to enlighten the local community about sustainable gardening and healthy cooking.

WHEN: Saturday, March 3, 2018, from 7 a.m. to noon

TEMPE LOCATIONS:

• Ellertson/Wilson Garden, 1013 S. Wilson St.
•  Broadmor Elementary School Garden, 311 E. Aepli Dr.
•  Clark Park Garden, 1730 S. Roosevelt St.
• The Centers for Habilitation (TCH): 215 W. Lodge Dr.
• Escalante Garden, 2150 E. Orange St.