$$ Cha-Ching! $$

Roots:
* Post-Katrina, property was donated to Elan Ministries - a large gutted warehouse building and the land surrounding it.
* Just a few short years ago the staff of Elan Ministries dreamed about developing a garden in a neighborhood that was in need of access to fresh foods. 
* Around the time of dreaming of the garden, Kayla Miller returned from Germany and expressed the desire to grow foods... she jumped in on the dreaming phase.

Blossoms:
The Garden on Marais is now up and functioning- thanks to the hard work of gardener Kayla Miller, founder Teresa Reiger, Larry Swift, and the support of the rest of Elan staff and all of the volunteers that put their time and sweat into projects on the garden.
Last Friday, Kayla completed a milestone for her work at the garden- she made her first sale!  Three pounds of okra were planted, grown, harvested, and taken by Kayla herself to the Holleygrove Market and Farm, where they were sold to patrons of the market.
Congratulations Kayla!

  

Holiday Helpers

In the past 7 years that HH2G has existed, I can recall only 2 or 3 of those Decembers where we hosted volunteers.  Christmas is such a busy time of the year in America and there's not always time to break away to serve in another state!  (The good news is, even though people are not coming to serve with HH2G during the Christmas season, many are serving in their own communities!)
THIS year, however, we've got some crazy college students coming to work during the 2 weeks prior to Christmas.  The University of Central Florida has graced us with their presence these last two years in March, and has scheduled their winter service trip to work again with HH2G.  As an observer of this team for two trips now, I can honestly say that they know how to have some fun!  I propose:  an  
UGLY Christmas Sweater Contest!!!

(no offense to the wearer of this terrible costume ;)

 Ken, Larry (HH2G Director), and I (Suzanne, Hospitality) will be the judges.  Home made ones get extra points in my vote :-D

And for their 3rd trip with HisHands2Go, we welcome the Y'all crew from Indiana University!  These folks are coming down from my neck of the woods... (where does that phrase come from anyways?).
This time of year they are enjoying the mid-western fall season with leaves changing into gorgeous colors.
Well, we ain't got none o' those changin colors here.  Green is our year-round color, and while green is beautiful, it sure doesn't compare to the collage of colors the mid-western states can produce in Autumn.

I seem to have gotten sidetracked....
Back on track!  I was in the middle of saying how much we look forward to Y'all coming down.  They are a large team on a mission to get some work done and touch the lives of those they are assisting.  So far they have accomplished that mission and more.  We look forward to seeing Y'all in just a few short months!!!

One last thought... we (as in the team leaders and myself), could create an initiation into the HH2G experience by involving cockroaches in some manner... talk amongst yourselves, let me know ;)