Volunteers Clean Up Edgewood Community Garden “DRANKNIX II” Party Trashes It – Donations Sought

Photo courtesy Edgewood Community Garden

From an email:

“Good afternoon, everyone,

I wanted to reach out to all of you today to make you aware of an unfortunate incident that occurred at the Edgewood Recreation Center and Community Garden this past weekend. This garden is free and open to Edgewood neighbors and friends.

Approximately 40 volunteers gathered on Saturday at our annual spring planting at the Edgewood Community Garden located on the grounds of DC Parks and Recreation, Edgewood Recreation Center. Upon finishing, we had cleaned the entire picnic area, planted, and covered our 10 raised garden beds. Pictures of the garden planting and clean up are included.

Around 3pm that day, college aged students started to arrive at the picnic and garden area for the popularly advertised Dreams Never Die (DND) organization that was established by Howard University (HU) students (but in no way affiliated or supported by HU) “DRANKNIX II” party cause we down for whatever food, drinks and liq provided party. Approximately 500-700 people came to this party and trampled on the garden beds and left the premises trashed and damaged.

We want to restore the garden with Edgewood neighbors and Howard University’s Green Team and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Chapter, but we need your help to restore the garden as well. Considering that the garden is free and open to the public, we rely on generous donations from private individuals to sustain our efforts. We spent nearly the $400 we had available for this growing season for this weekend planting day. We want to restore the garden with our neighbors and Howard University Green Team student organization, but we need your help as well.

Please consider donating any amount (even $5 will go a long way!) you can today so we can begin planning for our restoration event. Your gift is tax-deductible and will be of great help in taking the next steps to restore and beautify the area again.

You can donate to the garden by clicking on this link and then locate the “Donate Now” button (please ensure that you include in your donation comment section “Edgewood Community Garden”). You can also send a check that is written out to the Friends of Edgewood Recreation Center to:

Karin Bleeg
PO BOX 25172
Washington, DC 20027

Thank you for all of your supportive emails, phone calls, Facebook posts and positive energy you’re sending our way now, but most of all, since the beginning of this adventure.

To read more about the garden: Edgewood Garden

Very warmly,
Karin
Co-Director, Edgewood Community Garden”