The Wellstone Center would not be what it is without the people that work and volunteer there. Special thanks to Yer Chang (left) who works for both organizations and regularly guest chefs with YF, Shad Klukas (right)- Director of Community Center Operations, Amanda Smith, Carlo, Joe, Amber, Tou, Eric, Abbey, Allie, Shanna, and other’s who I’m sure I’m forgetting. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
You’d pretty much have to go all the way back to the beginning of Youth Farm’s West Side program, the Spring of 2000, to properly recognize the support West Side Youth Farm has received from the staff and communities of El Rio Vista Rec Center and Neighborhood House. Here’s a photo from around that time to help jog your memory.
Having grown up with YF, I can remember having LEAD meetings in the old building. It was there that I first learned how to plan a garden and where I learned how to organize a seed order, using a mail order catalog. YF has hosted fundraisers in the lobby as well as cooked numerous community meals.
Now the partnership is mostly defined by food. Since the fall of 2007 Youth Farm has hosted a school year cooking class on Tuesday evenings for West Side youth, many of whom regularly attend both Parks and “Neighb” programs. We cook local, seasonal meals and routinely try new foods. It’s a lot of fun.
