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Sustainability committee plans September and November community workshops on gardening, careers and outreach
Summary
The Tarpon Springs committee agreed to hold engagement events in September and November featuring a public workshop on affordable, sustainable gardening and a second session on careers in horticulture; staff and partners will coordinate outreach and materials.
Committee members used the July 16 meeting to plan community engagement projects for fall and to assign staff and volunteers to outreach tasks.
Siobhan Neehan proposed a two‑part program that begins with “how to garden affordably and sustainably” and follows with a careers segment for students interested in horticulture and allied fields. “The subhead is buy less, grow smarter, and let the garden’s natural systems do more of the work,” Neehan said, outlining topics such as propagation, composting, water conservation, native plants and hands‑on demonstrations.
Members favored a hybrid format with a hands‑on component and recommended partnering with local organizations. The committee discussed invitations to Klosterman preservation groups, Tarpon Garden Club volunteers, the community garden and college departments; staff (Holly) and committee members agreed to coordinate dates and confirm speakers for September and November events.
Nonprofit partner Children's Home Network offered to share event information widely. Annie Duong said her organization, which provides in‑home respite services funded by the Juvenile Welfare Board, can distribute bilingual flyers and promote events to agency partners: “I’d be more than happy to help the city of Tarpon Springs to spread the word.”
The committee also compiled outreach channels to promote the workshops, including several Tarpon Springs community Facebook pages, the chamber’s email list, library and community‑center postings, and college communications (student affairs and student newspaper). Staff agreed to draft a flyer optimized for social media and to divide outreach tasks among members once dates and presenters are confirmed.
Members added two related items to a future agenda: a presentation on synthetic turf and its heat and environmental effects, and possible volunteer tree‑steward training opportunities (an IFES two‑day workshop). The committee set a tentative next meeting and asked staff to circulate details and the outreach list for review before the next session.
