July Opportunities with the CCE

With June quickly ending, the CCE is gearing up for July!

This last week of June is filled with training the camp counselors for the Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future) summer camps which Eastern hosts. The camp is a 4-week long day camp for at-risk, ELL ELL (English Language Learner) youth in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. The kids attend either a math or language arts class in the morning and then participate in arts and crafts and tutoring sessions in the afternoon. All of the counselors are current Eastern students or alumni.
For information on how you can be a counselor for next year, email the Center for Community Engagement at cce@easternct.edu 

Tomorrow, the Connecticut Food Pantry's Mobile Truck is coming back to Willimantic for it's monthly stop. The truck comes filled with fresh produce, organic packaged foods and soups, and more to pass out to those who have limited to no access to healthy groceries in the area. We are currently accepting sign-ups for when it visits in July (July 23, 12:30-2:30pm).

Eastern's Community Education Garden is flourishing! Blueberry bushes, cantelope, and watermelon were all recently planted. Sugar peas, strawberries, and herbs have been harvested and donated to the Covenant Soup Kitchen. A dedicated group of students have been tending to the garden, but we can always do with more volunteers. Hours and days are flexible. Let us know if you want to get involved!

For information on these opportunities and how you can sign up as a volunteer, email the Center for Community Engagement at cce@easternct.edu 

Eastern's Community Education Garden Grows!

Over the past three months students, faculty, and community members have been growing fruits and vegetables for the local soup kitchen at Eastern’s Community Education Garden. Inside its white picket fence on High Street, one can find waist-high potato plants, a variety of heirloom tomatoes, sugar peas, pole beans, and strawberries. Carrot and corn shoots are beginning to peep up out of the soil. Beets, onions, and garlic are nearing a foot in height.

Recently interns from the Institute of Sustainable Energy planted watermelon. Jalapeno peppers were put in the soil with the help of Windham High School students. Sweet herbs from the Willimantic Farmer’s Market, stevia, and chocolate mint mark off the tea corner. A multifarious band of volunteers from the Eastern community come to help out: biology professors, athletic trainers, resident assistants,  and librarians. This week a Visitor’s Welcome sign is being installed to invite anyone who wishes to come in and have a look around.

Guest post: Bryan, '15

Find more pictures here!

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Food Justice Video

Watch this short film by Eastern Student Dave Wurtzel about Food Justice!