1. Community Garden Days
There are two chances this week where you can dig in on some community gardens (or stand around and watch, if you have a bad back!). I can’t make either, but I hope that you all will take and share pictures! Bring Your Own Tools!
Sid’s House - Thursday, May 6th at 11 am
Sid Lee is seeking NC native plants if you would like to bring from your garden or donate. If you have any of these in your garden and would like to donate a cutting for Sid's House garden that'd wonderful. Donations of garden tools and monetary donations for the garden projects are also accepted.
Erica’s Garden (Rev. Alfred Warren’s Farm) - Saturday, May 8th at 10 am
We are donating some vegetable plants from Tuttle’s for Erica’s Garden. Rev. Warren is also seeking lumber donations to create the planting boxes. Let’s all come together to help Rev. Warren’s dream of creating a community garden in memory of his daughter, Erica.
We are eventually planning to have a coal ash sculpture art at both locations.
If there are other gardens (and I know that there are), I am happy to include them on this page and help promote your activities on Facebook.
Reality Check from this Week: I am not a gardener. In efforts to scale back and complete this project, I am just focusing on art in multiple locations. Eventually we will have events to celebrate and include supporting materials for the walking tour.
2. Watch "Life in the Sacrifice Zone" May 13-14
The long-awaited "Life in the Sacrifice Zone” is available for viewing next weekend. We are hoping to schedule a screening in Stokes County at some point, as well.
Don't miss the River Run Film Festival's world premiere screening of a new documentary on coal ash in North Carolina!
In his first feature film, Winston-Salem filmmaker Chad Nance highlights an African American community in rural North Carolina who battled systematic racism and one of the world's largest energy companies. A series of environmental disasters, racist actions by local officials and mysterious medical issues spurred the community into action. Tired of sacrificing their land and lives to the pollution created by the largest coal fired electric plant in North Carolina, they join their efforts and voices to force the biggest coal ash clean up in the history of the US.
Watch it on May 13, 8:30 pm ET or at your convenience for 48 hours starting May 14.
3. Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 19th, 2021
If you haven’t heard by now, the Walnut Cove Colored School is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year. Ephraim has been working with Dana on a short film since last fall. We are excited to see it along with great music from the Allen Boys from Mt. Airy. (Thank you, Eddy McGee and the SCAC for sponsoring the music.) It should be a fun day for the family. Bring your own chair and mask for the celebration. A piece of coal ash art will be unveiled that day!
For more information on the event
4. The Lilies Project Art Installations
We continue to progress with the public art.
The Labyrinth at Cove Square
The concrete has been poured and will be engraved in late May. It will be closed until sometime in June to keep it clean for engraving. We are excited for when it will be open and available to the public. It will be used for a farmer’s market, among many other things, likely after Memorial Day.
Cove Square looks incredible after all of the hard work from the Cove Group over the last three years. I believe they are planning a work day TOMORROW at 6:30! Again bring your tools, as the Cove Group prepares for Spring Fest.
London Park Basketball Courts
I have signed the contract to redo the basketball court at London, so that should be scheduled soon. I hope in June.
Coal Ash Posts
Nathan has cut a number of posts and taken seven with him back to Vermont to cut even more. I am hoping the installations will move quickly. Until then I am planning to focus on painting what I already have on hand.
June 18th Walk-Through Canceled
My original goal was to install most of the art by Juneteenth Celebration and have a walk through the night before. However, I just signed a promise to our church camp that we would be in quarantine during that week before 6/20. So hopefully some of the pieces will be complete on Juneteenth, but we will not be meeting on June 18th. I will just stay far away from everyone on Juneteenth! I am calling it Essential since we have been planning it since early Fall!
I am hoping a new gathering time will become clear in the coming works as I start the art.
5. Marie’s having a baby!
Best wishes to Marie Garlock, who is ten days away from her due date! We can’t wait to meet this new little one!