Event Recap: Global Youth Service Day - Tree Planting, Drumming, more...

The LGBT Center had the pleasure of helping out with making metro St. Louis more green! Blue & I planted trees at The Green Center's park near the corner of McKnight and Olive in U. City.

I know, you're thinking the heavy Home Depot-type. Actually, these were just sprouting and looked more like a stick with roots than a tree (good for my 110-pound small frame). Planting trees were amazingly easy, far easier than I remember from Channel 9's perspective. Most of the seedlings were planted about a foot apart. By the time Blue and I arrived, much of the underbrush had been cleared and the ground had softened from an earlier rain. We were able to dig holes (about a foot or so deep) without any problems. Many of the trees were sprouting already. Some looked dormant, but our guide, Susan Mintz from The Green Center, assured us that they were alive and well... and ready to be planted!

Blue and I, being the ever-creative beings that we are, decided to name the trees: Dusty, Sparky, Sprouty, Bartholomew, Chaka Khan (thanks to Andy from Art of Living), and Rick James. We were hoping that this would encourage the trees to grow strong and tall. We'll check back to see how we did.

The most enjoyable part of this adventure was that the whole day focused around youth participation. I remember a couple of little boys being determined in their planting, looking very seriously at the ground to make sure they did not step on any seedlings. I was emotionally moved. I like seeing kids take an initiative, effort, and care into what they do (which is rare nowadays).

After the planting, clearing, digging and such, we all packed up and returned to The Green Center for a potluck feast. To my surprise, I was able to eat a lot of the tasty food (Blue & I are both vegan). Unfortunately, we did not continue on to the drumming session, which looked like a lot of fun. However, Blue & I made some new friends and reconnected with existing ones.

Hope your Earth Week was equally as informing.

To learn more about The Green Center
and their upcoming activities, visit:
http://www.thegreencenter.org/

Photos: (upper left) Blue, Executive Director of The Center, and Susan of The Green Center [in black hoodie], and Norm of "Art of Living St. Louis" after a lot of digging...; (lower right) A determined young tree planter looking for the perfect spot... Photos by Andy Nunberg.


Shän
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The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com

Blue's Testimony: "Art of Living" Course

Hello all,

By now, I hope that you've seen flyers, information, etc. about the Art of Living courses. If you need a little extra "boost" to show you what people think about it, Ms. Blue (Executive Director, The Center) has taken the course and provided the following:

"I recently took the Art of Living Course I and found the course itself along with tools that I use regularly to be very beneficial to my physical health and keeping my stress level (and darlings, I have a large cup of stress to deal with) balanced.

In the LGBT Community our overall well being (mental, physical and spiritual) has been an important focus for a number of decades. Homophobia, Biphobia and Bi invisibility and Transphobia are all stressors to individuals in our community along with physical health challenges like HIV and AIDS and breast cancer to name a few. Stress is a main factor that affects all physical ailments. It is vital that we incorporate holistic ways to address our mental and physical health. The Art of Living Course is designed to support a more stress free life giving the tools to do so.

I suggest checking out the informational and taking the time to take the course. Relieving the stress in your life is worth it."

-- Blue, Executive Director, The LGBT Comm. Center of Metro St. Louis

See the flyer below for Art of Living's upcoming May & June 2008 courses.

(click for larger image)

Visit Art of Living online at http://us.artofliving.org/mo/stlouis for details about the course. Informational introductory courses (listed on website) are free to attend.


For more information:
Mary Kunce
314-283-6953
stlouis@us.artofliving.org


Financial assistance for this event may be available for those who qualify.


------------
The Lesbian Gay Bi Transgender
Community Center of
Metropolitan St. Louis
P.O. Box 19071
St. Louis, MO 63118-9071
http://www.findmycenter.com
info@findmycenter.com