Food Concerns At Parkdale Elementary

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #203, 8912-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5R 5Z2

March XIth, MMX

Hon. David G. Hancock, QC, MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Whitemud

Dear David:

If there is one issue that I can't argue enough about its food & food quality & safety concerns. U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama is doing noble work with her office. She has gotten more done in 13 months than I ever expected.

One of the 49th First Lady's initiatives is to promote food safety & health issues. What she did was plant a vegetable garden on White House soil. With an emphasis on organic vegetables as a component of this garden. This initiative is to help combat the epic of childhood obesity in the US. I certainly admire her IV this & so recommend to Parkdale family's that the students plant a garden in the school grounds.

The idea should work very well. Especially as the name Parkdale refers to greenery & trees. By having a garden operational from spring until early harvest in the fall, kids will be taught the value of cultivating their own foods. The family's and parents who aid in the garden would then be able to get some of the vegetables back IV use of cooking at home. By eating at home, family's will bond more & their nutritional needs will be supplemented, especially important if the Hot Lunch Programs are disbanded.

Once folks here of this garden idea on school grounds, they'll appreciate the family concept & want to move their kids into the neighbourhood so they can participate & partake of the harvest. If there any extra vegetables, they can be given to the homeless and family's of a lower economic status. After that, any extra surplus foods could be sold on the school grounds to the public IV a profit or at farmer's markets with the excess funds used to keep programs open at the school. This I feel would definitely increase overall capacity.

Regards,

Rory

Source: Www.Whitehouse.Gov.