Last April, Associate Students, Inc., unanimously approved its new budget, all but killing off efforts to keep the community garden open. Almost one year later, there is a small core of individuals trying to save a nearly forgotten community garden.

Rene Hamlin, former director of the community garden, is spearheading the drive to keep it open.

“Ironically, the garden was started during the energy crisis in the seventies, and now, here we are again,” Hamlin said.

“The garden has historical value for the college,” Hamlin said.

Approximately 45 garden members and the children from the Children Center partake in the Harvest and Spring Planting Festivals each year.

The Festival activities are held at the Children Center and garden site, focusing on harvest and planting with face painting, storytelling, folksongs and petting zoos.

As you drive on to the school campus from the new Folsom Blvd. entrance, a sorrowful, multicolored banner pleads, “Please help save our Community Garden.”

The banner placed by garden members to heighten the awareness of its possible closure has done little to this point.

Associate Assistant Director of ASI Pat Worley said there is an agreement for the community garden members to continue working the plots until the end of the Spring 2001 semester.

“I don?t know if Rene Hamlin is behind the effort, but I believe she would like to see it continue,” Worley said.

Executive Director of ASI Carol Ackerson said, “We would have been phasing the garden out regardless. The board has looked at it several times, and questioned why we we?re funding it.”

“The community uses the garden far more than the students do,” Ackerson said.

In the early 1970s, the Environmental Studies Department ran the small garden area, but in 1975, Sac State students approached ASI, requesting money and permission to run the garden.

“I do this because I love it. And because it?s the second oldest community garden in Sacramento,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin said she has been speaking with Dr. Thomas Krabacher of environmental studies. There is a possibility that the garden would continue with the help of environmental studies. “It would be an excellent relationship,” Hamlin said.

Krabacher was unavailable for comment.

According to Ackerson, there were no specific plans by the University for the land at this time.

Shirley Uplinger, vice president for Student Affairs was unavailable for comment.

The garden is planning to hold its Spring Festival on April 21 to focus on energy and waste. As far as the future of the Sac State community garden goes, it sits in the hands of the University officials.