Plant/garden tool sale on Saturday

Lots of plant sales and other events for the coming weekend and weeks are listed on the May calendar: http://thegazette.com/blogs/homegrown/2010/04/30/may-calendar

This one just came to my desk: Matthew 25 to host Tool and Plant Sale to Celebrate New Community Rebuilding Center (on Saturday, May 15, 2010.) New center to house Block by Block, Tool Lending Library, community gathering place and other programs.

Cedar Rapids – The Matthew 25 Ministry Hub will host a Tool and Plant Sale and Open House event to celebrate development of a Community Rebuilding Center.  “This is something we have wanted to do for a long time. The neighbors in this area need this community space. And we need the space for our growing programs” states Clint Twedt-Ball, Co-Executive Director for Matthew 25. The new facility, in the back of the former Hubbard Ice Building on 1

^st

Ave. NW, will serve several purposes. Within the space will be an expanded Tool Library with a shop area for community use, a youth arts and neighborhood gathering space, Block by Block warehouse and administrative office space.

 The event will involve a tool and plant sale to benefit the programs of Matthew 25.  Various varieties of outdoor annuals, perennials, bedding plants and others will be available for sale as well as used hand tools, power tools and antique tools. Volunteers will also be filling flower pots for the Cultivate Hope program that had its start last spring when volunteers gathered to plant flowers in large pots and placed them on street corners in flooded neighborhoods on the West side of the river. “Neighbors and other community members appreciated the flowers so much last year that knew we had to do it again. It's our way of providing a visual reminder that there is hope after the flood of June 2008,” said Courtney Ball, Co-Executive Director for Matthew 25.

 The event will be from 9am to 1pm at at 225 K Ave. SW.  Food will be available for purchase and live music will perform around lunch time.  Other activities include children's gardening activities and gardening demonstrations for adults.

 Funding for the remodel of the facility was received from Aegon and the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. “We are so excited to be taking this next step in the growth of our organization and the recovery of the near West side.” says Clint Twedt-Ball, Co-Executive Director of Matthew 25. 

 Donations of plants or tools for the sale are welcome. For more information contact Rev. Clint-Twedt Ball or Rev. Courtney Ball at (319) 362-2214 or visit:

www.hub25.org