Ellis Sequel Disappoints Fans
September 1, 2010
theaudiobookbay.com
Twenty-five years after the release of his successful debut novel, Less Than Zero, Bret Easton Ellis is back with its sequel, Imperial Bedrooms.
Although all Ellis’s work published in the years between Less Than Zero and this latest novel follows various members of the same cast of loosely connected characters, Imperial Bedrooms picks up with the disillusioned youth we left in 1985, only now they’re disillusioned adults in 2010.
This newest addition to Ellis’s repertoire certainly doesn’t lack the overt sexuality, graphic violence or rampant drug use of its predecessors, but it does seem to be missing the apathy and callousness that make his previous works so much more enjoyable.
To put it simply, Imperial Bedrooms has too much of a conscience, considering it comes from the same man who brought us American Psycho.
Ellis wrote Less Than Zero when he was 21. The entire novel is about bored, rich college-aged kids in Los Angeles. Readers are privy to their world for only a month, but that’s more than enough time to see these kids being kids, while exploring a dark abyss devoid of any morals.
In the sequel they’re all still wandering hopelessly through LA with their immoral compasses, but they’re also still acting like over-privileged kids, which is pretty pathetic considering they’re in their 40’s.
When the characters were 18 and living so recklessly just because they could, it was exciting and dangerous. Now that they know better and spend half the novel justifying their immature actions to readers, the whole thing reads like Ellis begging to still be considered relevant.
Ironically, I thought he was before starting Imperial Bedrooms.
When Ellis was first thrust onto the literary scene during his undergraduate years at Binghamton University in the 80’s, the subjects he dealt with were new and shocking to readers. There weren’t many outlets where people could learn about how shamelessly that part of society lives.
Now, thanks largely to the fine programming on E! and Bravo, not to mention that whole internet thing, we are over-exposed to this. There hardly seems a need for someone to be writing an insider’s look at L.A.’s rich and troubled anymore.
Beyond the sheer irrelevance of this novel, the plot just comes up short. Ellis is known for his intertwining plots that are never what they seem, but I’ve read more complex stories in my creative writing classes.
Imperial Bedrooms is just the convoluted story of three middle-aged men fighting over a blonde twenty-three-year-old who wants to be an actress in LA. Arguably Ellis’s most realistic novel.
Of course, Ellis is too clever for his first novel in five years to be that simplistic. With such a basic, contrived plot, it’s likely that, like his other works, Imperial Bedrooms acts as an updated commentary on our one-dimensional, materialistic culture. Hell, every other page references a character’s iPhone or BMW.
An important, though certainly not unique, lesson that we could all benefit from remembering, sure, but Ellis has taught readers variations of the evils of materialism in six previous works. And each one does it better than Imperial Bedrooms.
Perhaps this critique is too harsh. The book isn’t poorly written and it was a great way to spend a summer afternoon, but for one of Ellis’s biggest fans it was a massive disappointment.
So, while I don’t necessarily endorse this book as a jumping off point for your Bret Easton Ellis fandom, I urge everyone who hasn’t already to read his other novels. Then, once you’ve seen what he’s actually capable of, pick up Imperial Bedrooms and just enjoy the fact that you get to catch up with some interesting characters, even if you don’t like where they’re headed.
All Spiced Up: Squash Pasta in a Rosé Butter Sauce
September 1, 2010
Danielle Rosenberg/Bullet
By Danielle Rosenberg
A New Approach
At a certain point in every new adult’s life (yes, you are probably a new adult), he or she realizes every meal of the day should not and cannotconsist of cereal, macaroni and cheese, and/or Tyson’s brand frozen chicken nuggets. It is with this transition in mind that I have decided to focus the content of this column on creating a healthier, more sophisticated palate, while maintaining a simplistic approach to everyday cooking.
Since it is August, the peak of the growing season, my first recipe contains as a central ingredient one of the most abundant of summer vegetables: squash. This dish has a simple sauce made with a dry rosé (a dry white wine may certainly be substituted, though I strongly urge all on a budget to avoid white zinfandel at all costs) and is good for a light but filling meal. So without further ado, I present the recipe I admittedly just threw together one day.
Squash and Pasta in a Rosé Butter Sauce
2-3 Tbsps. unsalted butter
1 cup rosé
1 plump garlic clove, minced
½ Yellow squash (yellow for the color), sliced
1 tsp. dry dill weed
1 tsp. dry basil or 1 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
½ tsp. paprika
2 handfuls pasta (I used some wheat angel-hair pasta because it was all I had around)
1 cup baby spinach
Cook the pasta until it is al dente (per usual method).
Then, in a small sauté pan melt the butter and add the wine, bringing to a slow simmer to begin reducing the wine.
Add the minced garlic and sliced squash, stirring occasionally until the squash is cooked.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the dill weed, basil, paprika and spinach.
Let this cook until spinach has reduced a little (but not until it looks like it came frozen in a box), stirring all the while so as not to burn anything.
Plate the pasta and pour the sauce and vegetables on top.
Simple.
Serves 1-2 as a light meal.
Wine Pairing:
This dish tastes great with a dry white wine. I had a Greek white from Santorini with it which was slightly acidic with a floral, oaky scent.
The Freshman Year: Fun, Mistakes, Memories
August 19, 2010
Marie Sicola/Bullet
The final weeks of August evoke memories of freshman year for many college graduates and upperclassmen. New friends, enemies, mistakes and fun are all a part of what these UMW students and alumni recall.
Yesterday a brand new group of the collegiate bound entered the freshman halls at UMW to create their own memories.
Meeting New People
Meeting new people and making new friends are the themes of the first week of college, when hall events, orientation groups and ice-breakers have everyone constantly talking. Eric Steigleder, who graduated last spring, said he remembers feeling the pressure.
“So much emphasis is placed on ‘meeting new people,’ at college that you’re made to feel inept if you don’t have three new best friends by the end of the day,” he said.
Steigleder’s advice is to relax. “Be yourself and you’ll meet plenty of people.”
Senior Amanda Gold, agreed that it’s important to take the pressure off.
“Know that everyone is looking to make friends, so if you’re the one going up to people no one will think you’re weird,” she said. “They’ll think you’re confident and appreciate it.”
Although there are multiple events and chances to meet different people, it’s possible to fall into the rut of only hanging out with roommates. Kay Boatner, ‘08 said it’s important to recognize this, and not to let it happen.
“Get to know your suite and hall-mates too,” Boatner said. “You never know, your new BFF could be right next door!”
Senior James White has fond memories of friends from his freshman year in Jefferson Hall.
“Personally I’ve never met anyone like the people I lived with in Jefferson Hall,” he said. “It was definitely an adventure getting to know everyone.”
Senior Erin McCarthy is still close with many people she met her freshman year.
“You really do meet people who will be important to you all four years of college,” she said.
Memories
According to White, “Freshman year was all about experiences.” He recalled his own experience of living on the fourth floor of Jefferson Hall in 2007.
“Some of the most interesting things happened when we all just sat in the common room,” he said. “There was no T.V., no entertainment. It was like we were stranded on an island and just dealt with whatever our differences were.”
Steigleder too, remembers spending many hours in the common room with friends.
“You learn pretty quickly that you basically live in a gigantic commune that happens to have classes,” he said.
Freshman dorms put lots of people in small spaces, and according to Boatner, this creates a recipe for lasting memories.
Two years after her graduation, the first memory that came to her mind was a prank war that went on in Mason Hall her freshman year.
“[It] went on for months,” she said. “I remember coming back to my room to find that everything was saran wrapped. Everything–my bed, my shoes, my toothbrush, etc. We retaliated by running string all over their room so they couldn’t walk in there. Good times.”
Advice
“Freshman year is about adapting to a totally new environment and making the most of it,” McCarthy said.
She thinks that getting involved with the people and events in your dorm and campus are the best ways to adapt.
Gold agreed. She recommended going to the Club Carnival to get a taste for what the campus has to offer.
“College is what you make of it so get involved,” Gold said. “There are so many clubs for every interest.”
Boatner said it’s important to have fun, enjoy the college experience and not be too strict.
“Do skip a class once in a while,” Boatner said. “And not just to catch up on homework for another one.”
Danielle Peters, another recent graduate, recommends spending some free time in downtown Fredericksburg, checking out the town and the people.
“There’s so much to discover,” she said. “I graduated and I’m still finding new restaurants and places to hang, as well as great people.”
Downtown is within walking distance, but the Fred bus that has a stop on campus, is used by students without cars to get to the shops in Central Park or the mall.
Senior Amber Goldwasser warns to use caution while relying on the Fred.
“Beware of [it],” she said. “It can be great transport, but it doesn’t come on time all the time.”
Senior Rachel Owen advised to try to get along with roommates, even if it’s difficult. But after the first semester reconsider if it’s working or not.
“Don’t be afraid to move out,” Owen said.
There is a lot of shifting after the first semester: some people drop out, or transfer or move, so there’s always new dorms open.
Owen ended up moving in with a friend whose roommate transferred and said she had a much better second semester.
She also recommends making friends with the RA on your hall.
“You’ll know when fire drills are,” she said.
Though every freshman will have good and bad memories of their first year at UMW, McCarthy said that for her, most of it was positive.
“Freshman year was so memorable because of all the change that took place,” McCarthy said. “And most of it was really awesome change.”
New Course Prepares Students to Teach Children with Autism
August 19, 2010
Courtesy of Nicole Myers
The UMW Autism Clinic and Play Lab will open its doors in October, offering both support for children with autism and related disabilities and a hands-on opportunity for UMW students enrolled in the course “Special Topics in Education: Autism” to experience working with children with disabilities prior to entering the workforce.
Nicole Myers, a professor in the Special Education department, and her colleagues developed the idea for the Clinic and Play Lab because, “many more children [are] getting diagnosed with autism and related disabilities [than] in the past and [we needed] to help prepare our students to work with children with more severe disabilities such as intellectual disabilities and autism.”
Although many universities offer courses specifically related to autism, Myers wanted to go a step further and introduce the Teaching Students with Autism Certificate.
According to Myers, “the certificate was developed with collaboration from Commonwealth Autism Service by faculty in Special Education, Instructional Design and Technology, and Psychology as a result of a $36,000 grant award from the university.”
Once the new certificate was approved, Myers received a Jepson Fellowship, which allowed her to teach part-time while researching “local autism related needs and [developing] plans for the UMW Autism Clinic and Play Lab.” After a year spent researching and designing a special curriculum, the Play Lab was approved.
The clinic is open to students of all ages who are diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and other intellectual disorders.
Undergraduate seniors and graduate students at UMW enrolled in the course will spend the first few weeks of the semester training in “research-based play strategies” before volunteering at the clinic under the supervision of Myers and other Special Education professors.
Anyone can take the course, even if they are not seeking a degree in Special Education.
Myers stressed, “If a teacher or someone working in the community has an interest in the Play Lab and this course, they can register for it provided they already have a bachelor’s degree. We want folks from community agencies taking this course.”
Already Myers has made a strong connection with the community, both at UMW and in the Fredericksburg area.
The use of the facility for the Play Lab, located in Stafford, is actually going to be free, thanks to its involvement with Helping Hands Pediatric Occupational Therapy. They’ve also received a number of donations from different organizations in the community, raised money through various events on campus, and worked with a UMW business class last spring to hold fundraisers at Chick-fil-a and McDonalds.
The Knights of Columbus awarded the Play Lab a $20,000 grant, allowing it to run for its first two sessions this upcoming school year. Unfortunately, according to Myers, this grant generally focuses on starting new projects so they still must continue to look for a more permanent source of funding for the future.
They have been participating in the Pepsi Refresh grant contest, where anyone can vote on various organizations to receive a $20,000 grant, but Myers is not optimistic about being in the top 10 for the grant by the Aug. 31 deadline.
“However,” Myers said, “the Pepsi Refresh publicity has allowed us to get the word out about the UMW Play Lab and to receive some other donations.”
Myers also plans to raise awareness through a variety of events the Play Lab will sponsor this year. There will be a UMW Autism Brown Bag Series, which will offer free presentations on disability issues, and Daybreak, a respite program where UMW students run educationally based programs for kids with disabilities with the help of The Arc of Rappahannock.
Additionally, every April UMW hosts the Community Disability Fair, where people come to campus and host tables that get the word out about different organizations.
On September 11-12 Tattoo Revival, located downtown, will be donating 100% of its proceeds to the Play Lab. So, anyone out there planning on a new tattoo should consider holding off a few weeks and supporting this excellent cause.
Myers hopes to see this project grow over the next few years into a fully funded program with a permanent location on the UMW campus. Ultimately, Myers would like to see UMW have a permanent impact on the disability community in the area.
Is Your Desk Made by a Prisoner? Furniture at UMW is Manufactured by Inmates Throughout Virginia
April 22, 2010
www.flickr.com/garybridgman
By Sarah Denby
Before a desk enters a UMW classroom, it first passes through the hallways of a prison.
It’s true. Most of the furniture at UMW was manufactured at one of the various prisons located around the state by Virginia Correctional Enterprises (VCE).
VCE is operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections, and was established in 1934 by the General Assembly as a work program for individuals incarcerated in prisons located around the Commonwealth of Virginia.
According to information provided by Karl Schnurr, senior account representative and sales of VCE in Northern Virginia, the mission of VCE is to enhance the correctional programs of the Commonwealth of Virginia by operating a business that provides jobs and work skills for sentenced offenders to help them successfully re-enter society.
At the same time, the program offers goods and services at a fair price to customers.
Prisoners who work for the VCE learn skills such as building and upholstering furniture, as well as providing printing and microfilm services.
After prisoners are released, they will be able to take the skills they aquired and get a job using them. The theory is that this will help keep them from ending up behind bars again.
Despite those reasons, the prisons get customers because it’s the law.
The Commonwealth of Virginia requires that the university, along with other departments and institutions funded by the state, buy and obtain goods produced by VCE.
According to Section 53.1-47 of the Code of Virginia, “Purchase by agencies, localities and certain nonprofit organizations,” is required if the inmates make the type of furniture desired.
The state code also states that the articles and services provided can be purchased by “any county, district of any county, city or town and by any nonprofit organization, including volunteer lifesaving or first aid crews, rescue squads, fire departments, sheltered workshops and community service organizations.”
All of the furniture at UMW comes from VCE if they make it, according to K.C. McCullogh, director of purchasing and stores for UMW.
“[VCE] either makes or distributes all kinds of furniture on campus,” he said. “Wherever there’s a need for furniture on campus, which is quite a few times.”
This includes items such as the chairs, classroom desks and couches that are located in the lobbies of the academic buildings.
McCullough also said that orders have been particularly high from VCE since the opening of Lee Hall.
Furniture, such as desk chairs, lounge furniture and common area furniture are currently being ordered from the VCE for Eagle Village, so it will arrive in time for the opening in the fall.
However, if the VCE does not make a specific type of furniture, the university must get special permission to buy from another provider.
“We have to get a waiver, which takes a day or two,” McCullough said.
Some of the furniture for Eagle Villiage is an exception to the waiver requirement as well.
The new beds and dressers for Eagle Village will not be manufactured from VCE, but instead from Foliot Furniture, a manufacturer that provides furniture for hotels and military housing.
Instead of getting a waiver from VCE to purchase the beds and dressers from Foliot, UMW now has a state contract with them.
“We’ve had a contract with Folio since 2009,” McCullough said.
Scouts’ Influence Lasts in College
April 21, 2010
Courtesy of Erin Burke
By Brittany Nassef
The Girl Scouts are at UMW.
Not just the young girls selling cookies on the sidewalk, but as a part of the student club, Campus Scouts.
Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts has more than 3.4 million members across the world.
According to the Girl Scouts of the USA website, “Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.”
Campus Scouts was started at UMW about 10 years ago.
“The younger girls need somebody to look up to and we are great role models for them,” Rose Salzberg, former president of Campus Scouts, said.
UMW graduate of the class of 2009, Salzberg helped get the club back up on its feet after it had virtually disappeared from campus.
“I joined Campus Scouts, because Girl Scouts was such an important part of my life before UMW and I didn’t want that part of my life to disappear completely,” Salzberg said. “It was so important to [other former girl scouts] and I that we didn’t let it fall to pieces our sophomore year.”
Current President of Campus Scouts, Erin Burke, has been involved with Girl Scouts since she was five years old. Burke grew up in a military family and said that her parents put her in Girl Scouts to help her have a stable environment and make good friends that she would have no matter where she went.
Burke said Girl Scouts taught her essential skills that are not taught in school, such as leadership, interpersonal communication, event planning and money management.
“I gained exposure to many different types of people, particularly women, in various career fields, as well as people of different abilities and disabilities,” Burke said. “Now, I want to be able to give younger Girl Scouts some of those same opportunities, show them a Girl Scout role model who isn’t a mom or employed with the organization, and to show them that the skills they are learning really do stay with you after the days of cookie sales and earning badges are over.”
However, Campus Scouts is not just for Girl Scouts, according to Rebecca Brooks, the vice president of Campus Scouts.
“We just got boys into Campus Scouts this year, so we have been trying to do something with local Boy Scout troops,” she said.
Girl Scouts from all over the city of Fredericksburg and in all different age groups participate in events that the UMW Campus Scouts plan. The club helps to plan activities for the younger girls to earn badges.
“It’s a fun club and anyone can join,” Freshman Claire Growney, club member, said. “It’s not a huge time commitment.”
Campus Scouts meets on Wednesday afternoons at 5 o’clock in Chandler Hall. The Girl Scouts of America requires volunteers to be certified with the Girl Scouts of the USA, which requires a $12 fee.
“I just like volunteering and I like working with kids,” Growney said. “I miss being around kids. Because of being in college, there aren’t any kids around, and Campus Scouts lets me help them.”
“Campus Scouts was a nice way to get involved in campus as well as continue my passion for Girl Scouts,” Brooks said. “For me, scouting is a way for me to be involved with the community.”
“When I look back at my years at UMW,” said Salzberg, “what I am probably most proud of is the work I did with Campus Scouts. Definitely made my time spent there more rewarding.”
PRISM Takes a “Day of Silence”
April 21, 2010
By Emma Carone
Friday April 16, the students of PRISM (People Representing Individuals of Sexual Minorities) were silent.
It was a part of the event, the National Day of Silence, a day on which students across the nation take a vow of silence to bring attention to the discrimination that many individuals face due to their sexual orientation.
The goal of the event is to recognize the thousands of students that are silenced everyday by bullying, name-calling, and harassment.
During the Day of Silence, some students chose not to speak at all, in honor of those who are silenced on a daily basis.
However, even those who were unable to hold their silence all day also had the opportunity to participate in a ten-minute vigil that was held in Ball Circle from 11:50 to noon.
During that time, students were invited to come together and hold their silence for ten minutes as a way of presenting silence in a very loud way.
Throughout the ten minutes over 100 people came out to join hands in an effort to promote awareness.
The vigil was organized by PRISM, an on campus group dedicated to advocating for the rights and interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people, as well as raise awareness of issues of sexuality and gender.
“Our goal is to create a safe place on campus,” President Brendon Bottle said.
Along with the vigil, PRISM also organized several other events during the day to promote the National Day of Silence.
From 4 to 6 p.m., PRISM held a breaking-the-silence social, where students were encouraged to speak about their experiences
The vow of silence served as an opportunity to recognize those who are still silent, while the social was a way to raise awareness and spread information about their rights.
During the social, several members of PRISM gave speeches that reminded students of the oppression and harassment that individuals experience every day.
The social also included a barbeque and music, drawing many students out to the field to play Frisbee, cards and enjoy the sun.
“It helped put a more positive spin on things” Paige Miller said.
She is a junior and member of PRISM.
After the social, the Day of Silence continued at 8 p.m. in the Underground, where PRISM hosted an open mic night where students read poetry, lyrics, and speeches, as well as sang songs.
The open mic night was an opportunity for student to express themselves and speak out for those previously found it difficult.
“It’s not about being silent, its about breaking silence” Bottle said.
Dining on a Dime: Oatmeal Apple Pie
April 21, 2010
Kaitlin Mayhew/Bullet
This is a great, easy pie recipe that always turns out well. The best part is that you won’t have to buy many ingredients since it uses a lot of simple components that you probably already have lying around
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbs water
Filling:
2 large apples (whatever kind you like)
1 cup buttermilk or whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top
Directions:
1. Mix all crust ingredients in a bowl except for the water, cutting in butter with a knife until crumbly.
2. Add water until slightly moist and press into pie pan.
3. Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes.
4. Remove and set aside.
5. Whisk eggs in a bowl until slightly frothy.
6. Whisk in sugar and vanilla.
7. Slowly add buttermilk or milk while whisking.
8. Set aside.
9. Peel and core apples, then cut into small wedges.
10. Arrange apple wedges evenly over pie crust.
11. Pour egg mixture over apples. The liquid will not completely cover apples.
12. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until liquid is set.
13. Remove pie from oven, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and let cool.
Vintage Shop Opens Doors: Beaucoup Vintage
April 15, 2010
Photo Courtesy of Megan Parry
Vintage fashion has found downtown Fredericksburg.
The new Beaucoup Vintage located at 208 William Street will open April 30.
The store will specialize in selling women’s fashions from the 50’s through the 80’s at affordable, student-friendly prices.
According to the store’s owner, UMW alum from the class of 2005 Megan Parry, most items will cost between $10 and $20.
Parry buys the clothes from various vintage wholesalers across the country as well as at Goodwill and other thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, and auctions. Although searching for quality vintage clothing can be an arduous process, it is all about “cultivating your eye,” according to Parry, who likens hunting for vintage items to studying art history, her major at UMW.
By paying attention to the various fabrics, prints, and silhouettes of each decade, Parry is able to correctly identify which decade an item is from and whether or not the garment is a quality vintage piece.
One of the best things about buying vintage, according to Parry, is how easy it is to update your wardrobe with just a few inexpensive pieces. Plus you’re sure to be wearing something unique. Shopping vintage is also an easy way to be eco-friendly because, as Parry puts it, “you’re actually recycling clothes.”
Vintage clothing can be frustrating at times too. Once you’ve found that perfect 80’s party dress, it might not fit properly. Frequently items need to be tailored for the wearer.
One of Parry’s long-term goals for her business is to offer in-house tailoring, but until then she’s glad to recommend local tailors so customers can be completely satisfied with the fit of their vintage pieces.
Being able to share her passion for clothing is one of the things that prompted Parry to open Beaucoup Vintage. It’s been a dream of hers since high school to open a store, but only in the past five years has she decided to specialize in selling vintage clothing.
She worked as the Visitor Services Coordinator in the UMW galleries for the past two years, but recently quit to focus on opening the store.
Parry is probably a little better off than many first-time small business owners, due to a convenient building and strong support network of friends and family, but opening Beaucoup Vintage has not been without complications.
“I’ve had to develop a whole new skill set,” Parry said.
On a day-to-day basis, she has to worry about licenses and permits with the city, taxes, setting up the store and getting it ready to open, but she also gets to do “the fun stuff” like hunting for clothes and getting them ready to sell.
Parry also operates the Website Chicfaced.com with a friend. The website is a mix of the writers’ opinions of various designer trends and beautiful pictures they take of their outfits in different places around downtown Fredericksburg.
The website showcases many ways to incorporate vintage pieces into your wardrobe. When asked for her best fashion tip, Parry said, “don’t be afraid to take a risk.”
“Putting thought into your clothes can be fun,” Parry said, who quipped, “It’s just as easy to put on a dress as it is to put on pajama pants.”
Opening the store is another risk, but it was “now or never” according to Parry who isn’t letting the failures of places like Vintage Jewelry by Cher’ree, another downtown store that closed recently, discourage her.
By working alongside the owner of another popular clothing store, Madeline Ruth, Parry hopes to draw a younger crowd to downtown Fredericksburg. The two plan to host events and stay open later on the weekends.
The first event Parry has planned is a preview of her store on April 18 at Kybecca Wine Bar. Tickets are $15 and available to anyone ages 21 and up. Vintage wines will be served while Parry and her friends model some of the clothes that will be sold at the store.
Although Beaucoup Vintage is opening just as the semester winds down, anyone still looking for a dress to wear to graduation or unique accessories to dress up your summer internship attire should definitely stop in. Beaucoup Vintage might just have exactly what you’re looking for.
Student Garden is Sprouting
April 14, 2010
Marie Sicola/Bullet
By Brittany Nassef
“Sometimes I feel like an archaeologist,” sophomore Colleen Brooke said.
Digging in the dirt and playing with worms is all in a days work for those who help out with the community garden downtown.
Started last year by Brooke and Karl Gergel, both sophomores, the Students for a
Democratic Society’s community garden is blossoming.
“We expanded the garden by a third, added a flower bed, and a second compost bin,” Brooke said.
Last year, the community garden held carrots, habanera peppers, arugula, and even broccoli.
“They broke ground February 19 for a new season of gardening. SDS began the garden and the members care for it,” junior Desirée De Haven said.
On April 5, SDS and UMW’s Ecology Club had a joint picnic where students and members of the Fredericksburg community planted lettuce, mint, chives, cilantro, snap peas, melons, squash and lemon bee balm.
“We enjoyed a great potluck feast and we planted herbs, beans, melons, peas, and some other crops after we ate. I know I had an amazing time and it was great to finally visit it and get involved,” De Haven said.
Neither Brooke nor Gergel have put any money into the garden. Donations from the Pennsylvania Dutch Tea and Spice Company, both of their parents, and being frugal with supplies allowed them to work the garden without spending a dime.
Everything that they’ve needed was in close proximity to the garden, even the water, which they get from the nearby cemetary.
SDS came across the empty plot of land after squatting on an abandoned lot across the street.
“The rights to the property are a complicated situation, apparently,” said senior Laura Pilati. “They are owned by the same person who owns the Kenmore property, but that property is uninhabited…so Karl and Colleen have been unable to figure out, as of yet, who to contact about it.”
According to Gergel, the lot was abandoned for six or seven years and was very grown over.
“It was unused, so we might as well use it,” he said. “Growing vegetables and flowers and cleaning is positive for the community.”
Their “guerilla gardening” is good for the neighborhood. Not only is it a learning experience for the gardeners, but it helps unite the students and community members.
“It’s also great how the neighbors have been so supportive,” junior Carly Byers said. “An elderly lady from down the street stopped by last week and chatted with Colleen and I for ten minutes or so.
“Getting to talk to someone with a perspective different from that of an eighteen to twenty-two year old made my day and helped remind me that even though we feel isolated on campus we can still be connected to the Fredericksburg community,” she said.
Brooke and Gergel said they visit the garden almost everyday and spend five to six hours working there, along with other volunteers, every week.
“I think it is a great opportunity for students to learn first hand about growing things while creating something that everyone can enjoy,” Byers said. “Being able to spend a few hours weeding or planting out in the sun is one of my favorite parts of the week.”
The diligent few who work the garden will reap its benefits of fresh produce in the coming months.
“Honestly, this has inspired me to be a farmer,” Brooke said. “ It’s the only way to live.”
In the midst of the brick border, with a great wall of snap peas, and nutrient-rich soil, Brooke believes that the community garden is “a little piece of heaven.”
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