Chinese Cancer & Chronic Illness Society of Victoria (CCCIS) introduces itself to the local community with a seed planting event.
For many cultural groups in Victoria, garden care, seed planting, vegetables and flowers are close to the heart, generating much community interest and passion. This is true also of the Mandarin and Cantonese speaking communities in Box Hill. More so, when the topic relates to growing Asian vegetables at home.
If you had to initiate a conversation with members of the public, you cannot lose when you begin with free gardening advice! So when PCV member, Chinese and Chronic Illness Society organized a ‘Plant a Seed Day' series, setting up a table in the local market, under the organization banner (the name speaks for itself) and giving out free seeds to anyone interested, it is not surprising that the activity touched the collective interest.
Over the past two months, the CCCIS held three ‘Plant a Seed Day’ events, in collaboration with the City of Whitehorse Council. At the stall in Box Hill Mall, hundreds of free seed packets were given to people to encourage them to grow their own vegetables and flowers. People of all ages approached the table, had a lively conversation with a volunteer and left clutching a handful of seeds and the name of the CCCIS imprinted in their minds.
As Dorothy Yiu, Manager, commented “It was wonderful to see many people approach the stall to pick the seeds they liked. The volunteers enthusiastically gave gardening tips, especially for growing Chinese vegetables”.
An added benefit is that by giving out free seeds, more people will start their own garden patch, enjoy healthier eating and the beauty of flowers around them.
For further information, please contact:
Dorothy Yiu, Manager,
email: dorothy.yiu@cccis.org.au