Extremely Disappointed Re: School Project

I need to vent a bit. I am EXTREMELY hurt and disappointed with the Elementary School project I told y'all about this winter. It's not the SCHOOL'S fault, but some of the county agencies.

Several times I requested info on the project.

On March 21 I asked what part of the 232 square project they wanted to be SFG. I was told via email: We were thinking of possibly doing them all square foot this year.

When I received that email I scrambled to get with my vendors and
the Foundation for donations. My vermiculite supplier GAVE me 58 cf (I
covered the cost of the freight). I received a good discount from my
compost guy and even the Foundation was chipping in.

On April 17 I asked for another update on the project and was told: I believe we are still doing a portion as square foot garden (OK, whatever)

This morning I AGAIN asked for a status and was told: We
ended up going with materials that were donated to build and fill the
beds. The Southern High School FFA group will be helping the students
plant next week, they are donating plants they grew in their greenhouse.
So what part of FREE didn't they understand?

I think what disappoints me the most is that I wanted to PHYSICALLY help with the project and I wasn't even given the chance to do THAT. I also have to go back to my vendors and explain that I'll use the stuff they gave me for the homeless shelter project instead and hope that's OK with them.

They have offered to let me "talk to the kids about gardening". I won't be petty just because the adults crapped on me but I've learned a very valuable lesson.

If you have the opportunity, please use J.P. AUSTIN for your vermiculite. They are located in western PA but distribute to other locations. You can email them to see if they send their vermiculite to your area. If they don't seem to know what you're talking about, tell them to forward the email to Jerry (the CEO).

Also if you are near Media, PA; Aberdeen, Annapolis or Columbia, MD; or Arlington, VA please consider getting compost, vermicompost, worms, worm bins, compost tea and rain barrels from VETERAN COMPOST.

These guys went above & beyond to help me with the project.

Thanks,
Kim

Ouch. I am amazed at the lack of detail many people put into their jobs. No one even called you and asked for specifics? Well, their loss is the homeless shelter's gain. I think maybe, though it doesn't seem like it now, this was a serendipity. I know. It stinks.

Maybe a meeting with the County agency Director would benefit your cause and promote a greater working relationship in the future.

hugs

rose

That is so disappointing for you, Kim, after you have put your heart and soul into it. I was hoping you would have been able to convert a new generation of gardeners.

Kim,

I am so sorry for you. I know how disheartening that is. I also know what a strong person you are and love the fact that you are working on plan b already! I'm proud to be on the same team with you!

If you'd like, we may be able to get some documentation on the school projects that are working with SFG's. I think the more we band together, the stronger we will be.

Davanna Driggers wrote:Kim,

I am so sorry for you. I know how disheartening that is. I also know what a strong person you are and love the fact that you are working on plan b already! I'm proud to be on the same team with you!

If you'd like, we may be able to get some documentation on the school projects that are working with SFG's. I think the more we band together, the stronger we will be.

LOL Plans A & B were running silmultaneously AND I'm negotiating Plan C.

It would be helpful getting the documentation on the school projects. Thanks.

I was hurried in my first response and after rereading, it certainly seems terse and not really what I wanted to say. I feel for you and the level of disappointment you are feeling about this lost opportunity and frustration that you did all this work and there was no appreciation from the client. But, onward and upward Kim.
I would suggest developing a contract of some sort. I have done some volunteering and worked with volunteers on a few different fronts and I have found that having meetings and clear verbal (and in some cases written) agreements about expectations are essential for successful outcomes of events involving volunteers. Sometimes written contracts, though not legally binding, will make things more clear and everyone will know how to reach the desired goal. Though contracts may seem like a bothersome and unnecessary thing, they are helpful to make all the parts of a project clear to all participants.

Good luck with the Shelter garden. Keep up the good work Kim.

camprn wrote:I was hurried in my first response and after rereading, it certainly seems terse and not really what I wanted to say. I feel for you and the level of disappointment you are feeling about this lost opportunity and frustration that you did all this work and there was no appreciation from the client. But, onward and upward Kim.
I would suggest developing a contract of some sort. I have done some volunteering and worked with volunteers on a few different fronts and I have found that having meetings and clear verbal (and in some cases written) agreements about expectations are essential for successful outcomes of events involving volunteers. Sometimes written contracts, though not legally binding, will make things more clear and everyone will know how to reach the desired goal. Though contracts may seem like a bothersome and unnecessary thing, they are helpful to make all the parts of a project clear to all participants.

Good luck with the Shelter garden. Keep up the good work Kim.

Thanks!

Since I wasn't asked in until after the initial meeting, it wasn't my program to run. BUT when I did my presentation they ALL decided to shift to SFG - a MUCH smaller area to fence saving A LOT of money on the project, etc. At that point I told them what I would be able to provide and even followed up with an email reiterating what donations I was soliciting.

LOL like I said, lesson learned!

That sucks......

Sounds to me like some one involved in the FFA group might have had the SFG idea nixed seeing as the school officials seemed all for SFG up until the FFA group got involved in the project and you were donating the materials and labor anyway.

They may have wanted to use the project to train FFA students in more traditional farming/gardening methods.

I don't think the FFA was even involved until they needed the plants. That particular school wasn't even involved except that they agreed to "host" it.

This was a group from my county - Dept. of Ag., Dept. of Ed., Dept. of Health, Dept. of Commerce, Parks & Rec., a non-profit group and me. SOOOO who was ultimately in charge, I don't know. It came under our "Farm to School" program.

All I know is working with that many entities didn't work for me.