A Tribute ~ In Loving Memory of Joan Black 

March, 2021

On behalf of the original Steering Committee of the Lakes Park Community Garden, as a long-time gardener and from my own heart honoring our friendship forged in the Garden, I’d like to offer this Tribute in loving memory of our fellow gardener, Joan Black. After a brave battle with cancer, Joan passed away peacefully in the afternoon of March 16th. 

As I have been reflecting back, it’s difficult to ‘count’ Joan’s contributions to the Community Garden and to those of us in our Garden Community who worked alongside her and became her friends. She worked in and for the Garden so diligently, so consistently and so graciously over the past decade. I am pretty sure at one time or another, she filled every single essential role we had in garden leadership, organizing, teaching, fund-raising and overall management.

It all began in April of 2010, at the first public gathering for the Community Garden, when Joan stepped up and volunteered to help organize the Garden. In response to a request from Roy Beckford, our IFES extension agent at the time, I had just offered to take on the role of Garden Coordinator. Having worked as a strategic planner and community builder in other contexts, I knew we’d need a team right from the start and my first words to the rest of those gathered were, “This is definitely going to be a group effort - who’d like to help?!” 

Joan was one of the first Lakes Park gardeners and Garden volunteers

 - and the rest is history! 

As one of our original Steering Committee members, Joan pitched right in and over the years, she clocked several thousand volunteer hours helping to design and implement the garden’s strategic plans. She coordinated and led monthly educational Gatherings and occasional field trips, gardener registration, annual meetings and reviews, and regular Garden functions including new gardener orientations, setting up our original composting process and food bank donations. For several years, Joan headed up volunteer oversight, working especially hard with FGCU students fulfilling their community service requirement. Using her many creative and artistic skills, Joan contributed to Garden newsletters and became our Garden Archivist, producing several beautiful albums documenting Garden history and ‘what was growing’ at any given time. She also enthusiastically represented the Garden in wider community events including weekly Farmer’s Market participation, autumn Scarecrows in the Park, spring National Public Parks Day and end of June, Taste of Lee Tropical Fruit Fair. In large part because of Joan’s input, the Lakes Park Community Garden is both a sustainable and a magical place for planting, learning, nurturing and growing - food, flowers, memories, green spaces, friendships and great vibes!

As one of the few remaining charter members of the Garden and over the years, Joan became an expert gardener. Her ‘bed’ was consistently one of the best in the Garden, both for production and for beauty. She was constantly researching, experimenting, learning and delighting in new plants, different techniques and arrangements, delicious recipes. Along with the bees, she loved her tiny roses and sweet almond bush blossoms. And she nurtured her milkweed plants which hosted generations of monarch butterflies. To her harvested tomatoes, carrots and eggplants, Joan added savory Costa Rican oregano, parsley, rosemary, basil, lemon grass and garlic chives.

Alongside her expertise as a gardener, many will attest to Joan’s gentle spirit, her kind nature, her fierce loyalty, her generosity, her endless patience and her contagious good humor. And, in addition to this awesome Community Garden, we the gardeners ‘cultivated’ a Garden Community of friendships, which are so very deeply special. Joan will always remain a beloved member of this Community and her legacy will live on - in our hearts and through the Garden.

Dear Joan, You will be greatly missed and your Garden Legacy will be deeply cherished.

Koi Pond Bridge Renovations

The small bridge that goes over the pond in the back of the Fragrance Garden was in need of repair. No one could remember when it was first build. It is a very popular photo op spot for visitors. I recently met a couple who got engaged on that bridge. Over the years the bridge as begun to shows signs of age and was in need of a full overhaul. Dan Flavin, a volunteer in the gardens offered to spear head this project with help from Norm Bazinet and Mike Pacitto and other volunteers along the way. The new bridge will be structurally sound and should last for many years of picture taking in the gardens. The Lakes Enrichment Foundation has provided all the materials.

Next month’s newsletter will show the finished bridge, but feel free to walk in the gardens to view the progress.

EZ Rider Tours

We are thrilled to announce that the EZ Rider Tours are once again running on a limited basis depending on driver availability. We ask that riders wear masks unless fully vaccinated. The tour size will be limited to four. For reservations call Mary Ellen at 239-533-7578.

We believe everyone should be able to enjoy Lakes Park, seeing its natural beauty and wildlife first hand. That’s why we offer courtesy in park transportation. Park visitors can reserve a seat on the E.Z. Rider, a six-passenger golf cart provided by the Lakes Park Enrichment Foundation. Driven by a Lee County Parks & Recreation certified Volunteer Guide, E.Z. Rider tours span 1 to 1 1/2 hours with commentary that can be customized for those with a particular interest in the gardens or bird viewing. Now everyone can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Lakes Park.

Rules of Transport

• Passengers ages 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

• Guests who require physical assistance must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Virtual 5K “FUN” Run/Walk

We are so excited how well attended the Virtual 5K Run was during the week of March 27-April 3. The response and excitement of all our participants has been overwhelming. A huge thank you goes out to all our wonderful sponsors, Amavita Senior living, Riva Del Lago, Harris Dermatology, Sarah Selfridge; Schooner Bay Realty and Bill Valenti, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley .....who all helped with our race. 
We, the Foundation, were able to establish a virtual 5K race that we think will only grow each year. Given that this is our first year and we didn’t have any history in the marketplace, we are thrilled that almost 80 runners and walkers signed up to help support our beautiful park.

Have you checked out the Bicycle Station?

Have you ever arrived at Lakes Park with your bicycles ready to take a leisurely ride around the park only to find that your handlebars need adjusting or your tires need some air? 

Well you won’t need to turn around and leave… check out the bicycle fix it station located adjacent to the Community Garden. It has an assortment of tools and a bicycle tire pump you may use for these minor repairs. Enjoy your ride here at Lakes and remember to give pedestrians space and to make an audible sound when passing them.  You can take a break and walk through our wonderful Fragrance Garden or sit on one of the many park benches located throughout the park. 

LAKES PARK FARMERS MARKET IN FULL SWING! 

Birdhouses in the Children's Garden
by Debi Brown