SEEING GREEN
The move toward more sustainability isn’t a trend, and it isn’t slowing down any time soon.
New on the green scene is a tag-team effort between Heifer International and UA Little Rock to promote sustainable agriculture and gardening practices in central Arkansas.
Through workshops, field days and shared resources, the partnership will work toward both Heifer’s mission to end hunger and UA Little Rock’s Campus Garden’s mission of furthering accessibility to local and nutritious food.
Launched in 2012, the Campus Garden was developed “to teach students about sustainable urban gardening and to provide healthy, local and inexpensive food to the community.” Today, the garden provides items for the UA Little Rock Trojan Food Pantry and participates in farmers markets.
“It’s not just about the plants we grow. It’s about the people that participate in the garden,” said Michael DeAngelis, co-director of the Campus Garden and professor of earth sciences. “We provide equitable access to affordable, healthy food. We have community farm stand events where people pay whatever they can through a donation, and sometimes that is nothing. We’ve had people come to the event who told us that they didn’t get a paycheck this week, and they didn’t know how they were going to get through the week without food from the garden.”
In the future, students will have the opportunity to learn among the community garden and solar-powered aquaponic facility at Heifer’s Urban Farm, as well as at Heifer Ranch in Perryville.
“It’s exciting that we’ll get to share what we know with visitors from UA Little Rock and also to be part of the growing network of folks in central Arkansas who are passionate about this work,” said Tom Spinnato, the farm’s senior director of facilities management and global operations. “I expect we’ll learn a lot from this experience that will enrich not only what we do here at the farm, but also the passion for local food in our community.”
Follow along with UALR Campus Garden on Facebook.
BIG MOVES
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The Baptist Health Foundation added three new members: Annie Tarwater, Jamie Deason and Stephanie Jonasson.
Ryan Miller was recently named the director of development for the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation.
BOX OFFICE HIT
In February, Ballet Arkansas presented a highly anticipated world-premiere production of “Cinderella” at UA Pulaski Tech’s CHARTS Theater to more than 2,400 individuals over the course of six public and student matinee performances. The production featured the talents of 60 local dancers alongside the professional dancers of Ballet Arkansas.
“It‘s truly wonderful to give children performance opportunities that allow them to grow, shine and further their love for the art of dance by way of dancing in a professional production,” executive and artistic director Michael Fothergill says. “It is, and has always been, our mission to enrich the communities we serve. We are recommitting to the idea of greater community involvement in our productions as we look ahead to the 2020/21 season.”
The troupe plans to give community dancers ample opportunities next season in its world premiere multimedia ballet “Jekyll & Hyde” and the comedic, classical production of “Coppelia.”
“Having danced ‘Coppelia’ in great frequency, this ballet is sentimental to me. It’s hilarious and very physically demanding,” Fothergill says. “There’s not a dull moment the whole way through and there are lots of great roles for dancers of all ages and abilities.”
The two ballets are part of a six program lineup the company will present in celebration of its 42nd season in 2020 and 2021. Learn more at BalletArkansas.org.
LETTUCE GROW
May 1
The historic grounds of the St. Joseph Center play host to this annual spring dinner featuring a farm-fresh feast to help preserve the structure.
CURTAIN CALL
May 28 & 29
Benefiting Arkansas Enterprises for the Developmentally Disabled, this theatrical event spans two evenings and marks its 10th year.
THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS DE LA PEQUENA ROCA
June 13
One of downtown’s biggest spectacles returns as local roller derby girls don bull horns and chase runners through the streets to raise funds for Family Promise of Pulaski County.
All events still scheduled at time of print publication.
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