Hey folks, John here! I have to tell you about this AMAZING weekend at the Eastpointe Community Garden! It’s been a whirlwind of community spirit, hard work, and genuine magic that’s left all of us feeling warm and fuzzy inside (and slightly sore, if I’m being honest! 😂).

Friday: Laying the Groundwork

It all started Friday when a small crew headed up to the garden to tackle the first phase of our big shelter project. We got our hands dirty building out the frame for what we’ve been lovingly calling “the shelter” (though technically, it’s a carport that’s getting a garden glow-up!).

Once we had that frame looking good, we did a quick recap post on our website, shared it across social media, and put out the bat signal for Saturday help. Nothing like a little “Hey friends, we need extra hands!” to test how strong your community really is.

The Financial Reality Check

Let me be real with you all for a second. Originally, we were going to do a fundraiser for this project because, let’s face it, mutual aid programs don’t have infinite financial resources. With the new Trump tariffs coming into place, we had to make a difficult decision. Should we purchase the shelter now at about $1,000, or wait until after a fundraiser and potentially spend $1,200-1,500 because of the new costs?

We did what we felt was the most responsible thing and purchased the shelter with the money we would have used for getting a porta potty for our volunteers throughout the season. We’ve put together a fundraiser to try to recover the costs for this new long-term addition. Any help would be appreciated!

https://www.zeffy.com/fundraising/help-us-raise-the-roof-at-eastpointe-community-garden

Saturday: When the Town Showed Up!

And boy, did our community deliver! Bill was at the garden bright and early Saturday morning before anyone else, getting all his planting done. Katie arrived just as he was getting ready to head off to work. And then the cavalry arrived!

The scene was beautiful chaos – like an old-fashioned Amish barn raising, but with way more laughing and probably more coffee.

What we DIDN’T realize was that every single panel of corrugated metal came with its own little surprise – a clingy layer of Saran wrap that needed removing. More than half our crew ended up sitting around meticulously peeling plastic film off metal panels. Not exactly the Instagram-worthy garden work we had in mind, but definitely where the best conversations happened!

We bolted everything down, attached all the panels, added the legs, and officially “erected” our shelter. For temporary security against Michigan’s infamous winds, we anchored it down with cinder blocks, drove some rebar into the ground, and zip-tied everything together. Is it pretty? Nope! Is it secure enough until we get permanent footings? You betcha!

While the shelter crew was battling with plastic film and metal panels, garden life continued. Stefanie and Glen’s friends (Robert and Genevieve) relocated flowers from the cement wall beds to the front flower beds. The garden’s heartbeat never stops, even during big projects!

We also had the pleasure of welcoming Reggie, a new neighbor who recently moved to the area. He stopped by looking for activities he could do with his daughter. Katie gave him the grand tour, and his excitement about bringing his daughter next weekend was the cherry on top of an already perfect day.

After we wrapped up, Bill sent a message in our group chat that hit me right in the feels: “That shit honestly makes me cry a little to see so much progress makes me so incredibly happy.”

What you might not know is that for multiple years, Bill was the ONLY person coming to the garden and keeping it alive. He knew this place was special, so he kept showing up and giving it everything he had, even when it felt like a losing battle. As the current president of the Urban Seed board, Bill is so incredibly proud of everything we’ve been able to accomplish together. That shelter isn’t just a structure – it’s a symbol of how far we’ve come.

Sunday: The Concrete Crew

The weekend warriors weren’t done yet! Sunday brought a smaller but mighty crew back to the garden – Bill, Jeff, and I spent three solid hours digging holes for footings and pouring concrete to anchor our new shelter (because Michigan winds have OPINIONS about unanchored structures!).

We managed to complete 5 of the 10 footings, with plans for Bill and Jeff to finish the remaining 5 later this week.

The cutest moment of the day? Jeff’s dog Rory was playing with her ball when she accidentally stepped right into the wet concrete, leaving behind a perfect pawprint! Instead of a problem, we’re calling it a signature – Rory is now officially immortalized in Urban Seed history!

What’s Next?

Our shelter project is nearly complete, and we couldn’t have done it without our amazing community rallying together. From the early morning texts about planting between raindrops to Bill’s joking “Sure would be cool if you had a shelter to hang out underneath 😂” message that started it all – this weekend showed exactly what Urban Seed is all about.

Come join us next Saturday for our regular garden party and check out the progress! No experience needed – just bring yourself and maybe a water bottle. From now on we’ll be there rain or shine!

#UrbanSeedStrong #CommunityBuilds #PawsitiveProgress #EastpointeGrows