Planting the seeds for community engagement

With the growing season just beginning and gardeners all over Gig Harbor swinging into gear for the planting season, Harbor Covenant Church is joining the gardening club.

The church has transformed an empty area behind its Central Campus into a community garden and is currently accepting applications from people interested gardening the space.

Christine Erikson, the church’s administrative assistant, is the driving force behind the new community gardens.

“It really is a community effort with all the volunteers we’ve had,” she said of the garden’s construction. “It really seemed to fit with the church and how we want our community outreach.”

Volunteers constructed 16 raised beds in an area where the church’s playground — since relocated — used to sit. The beds are 12 feet by 4 feet in dimension, with two of the beds constructed with taller sides to allow access for those with limited mobility.

They are currently finishing an 8-foot fence to keep the deer away from the gardens, which will be finished in time for the garden walk-throughs in between Easter services on Sunday (March 27).

“It’s a great location because it’s right in the sun,” Erikson said. “And near our kitchen.”

Blake Merwin, the associate pastor of Local Outreach, said that this garden is one of the church’s efforts to engage with the Gig Harbor community.

“We’re always trying to figure out how to maximize our area for the community,” he said. “We hope we develop a real community here.”

Merwin added that the church is planning to host community barbecues during the summer for garden participants to encourage relationships.

About half of the garden beds have been reserved for members of the congregation and the other half are open to community members. The church has also partnered with Food Backpacks 4 Kids to reserve two beds for families identified by the program.

“There’s been a lot of different community aspects involved,” Erikson said. “It’s been a neat collaboration that way.”

The cost to participate for the growing season is $50, which includes access to a shed of basic gardening tools and water provided in each bed.

Tours of the garden will be held in between church services at 9:30 and 11 a.m. on Easter Sunday (March 27).

Erikson remains excited for the project as it nears completion: “We’re just excited to be able to invite the community to come do this.”

Harbor Covenant Church’s Central Campus is located at 5601 Gustafson Drive NW in Gig Harbor.

For more information or for an application, contact the church office at 253-851-8450 or Erikson at christine@harborcovenant.org.

This story was originally published March 23, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Planting the seeds for community engagement."