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Anne Howard
As 2016 comes to a close, it’s always good to look back at what we’ve actually done in the past year. Where did the time go? What happened during the past year that was new or worthwhile to remember? As I complete my first year as Chair, I can look back at what SFEE accomplished in 2016 and be proud of our chapter, our Leaders – and our food community.
Slow Food East End plays a unique role in our community though our support of Edible School Gardens. Thanks to our partnership with Susan and Myron Levine of the Joshua Levine Memorial Foundation, the East End has one of the most successful school garden programs in the country.
Through the JLMF & SFEE annual April fundraiser, we are able to fund stipends for three Master Farmers who advise school gardens throughout the East End. We also provide mini-grants to help these school gardens grow and flourish as educational teaching tools.
In addition to our support of school gardens, here’s our list of Top Ten 2016 Projects that we’re especially proud of (in no particular order).
Top Ten 2016 Projects
- Honoring the Founders of Slow Food East End (Ted Conklin. Mary & Tom Morgan, Kate Plumb) at the “Gala in the Garden” fundraiser at Estia’s Little Kitchen. Our sincere appreciation goes to Chef Colin Ambrose, Jessica Ambrose and the staff at Estia’s for hosting this wonderful event benefiting Slow Food East End, Ride for Life, and Project Most.
- Helping raise $18,000 for ALS Ride for Life at the Estia’s event. SFEE was proud to be on the team that raised this money. Without our work – and the generosity of those in attendance – these donations in honor of Chef Gerry Hayden would not have been possible.
- Supporting WLIW Channel 21 and WNET Channel 13 by helping organize a MetroFocus segment spotlighting Slow Food East End and Eastern Long Island’s Slow Food Movement. You can watch this video on SFEE’s website www.slowfoodeastend.org.
- Helping save the Long Island Cheese Pumpkin by being an Ambassador for this Slow Food “Ark of Taste” native pumpkin. Slow Food East End’s numerous events during the year helped bring attention to our new favorite pumpkin for cooking just about anything!
- Awarding our second Slow Food East End “Carlo Petrini Award” to Susan and Myron Levine for the joy they have brought to thousands of local children through their generous support of school gardens. The Levines received the award at a lovely Slow Food dinner at 18 Bay Restaurant on Shelter Island.
- Being a sponsor of the FoodLab Conference at Stony Brook Southampton; the Fall Festival and Craft Slow at Hallockville Museum Farm; and making donations to Feisty Acres Bobwhite Quail Release Program , Slow Food USA’s “100 Years of Plenty” biodiversity campaign, the Long Island Regional Seed Consortium, and Hallockville Museum Farm.
- Becoming a member of the Long Island Farm Bureau!
- Teaching kids to cook the foods they grow in their school gardens through our Chefs to Schools program. Local chefs work with teachers to educate kids in food preparation, safety and nutrition. Our Chefs to Schools program was promoted at the Wellness Foundation’s “Wellness in the Schools” Conference in March. SFEE appeared on the program for the Long Island regional meeting Family & Consumer Sciences teachers, discussing the Chefs to Schools program and explaining the meaning of Slow Food.
- Bringing people together over food through our Snail Socials, Snail Picnics, Snail Suppers and Market Dinners – with a renewed emphasis on education at these events. Plus, recognizing restaurants that promote good, clean, and fair food through our Snail of Approval program.
- Sponsoring 3 delegates to attend Terra Madre, Slow Food’s international gathering in Turin, Italy. We also provided financial support for Lucy Senesac, SF Master Farmer, to attend the National School Garden Spring Break Conference in Charlotte, NC.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the support of members, leaders, friends and donors. We are already planning new and exciting programs for 2017. If you are not currently a member of Slow Food East End, we urge you to join and get involved. We are a one-of-a-kind organization that is dedicated to changing the world through food that is good, clean, and fair for all. We do good things as well as enjoy “the pleasures of the table.”
Wishing you all the best in 2017!
Anne
Anne Howard, Chair
Slow Food East End
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