Despite this being a time of social distancing and staying home, it is also an opportunity to celebrate community projects that have brought people together for good causes and will do so again in the future. 

The Openlight community garden was launched in May 2018 and is located in Victor Harbor at the Openlight campsite, formerly known as Toc H. 

The garden’s purpose is to bring members of the community together. Friendships have been nourished through the process of growing organic fruit and vegetables with one another. Members don’t need prior gardening knowledge to be involved as they constantly learn new skills and sustainable gardening methods from each other. 

The community garden recently gained a grant from GrantsSA to finance new wicking beds and garden infrastructure. On 17 March the small group came together for a jovial working bee to construct the wicking beds, which are wheelchair accessible and carefully designed for ease of use.

Currently, the soil is being prepared for a new season of planting. An appetising array of onions, peas, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, broccoli and Brussels sprouts are set to be planted. Members are also free to choose their favourite veggies to grow. There is a roster for two members to attend the garden every few days to water the seedlings and fast-growing fruit trees.

The overall vision of the community garden is for the fresh produce to be shared, not only with members, but with other community groups and projects, such as camps run by Openlight Youth Services. Profits made from selling fresh produce help contribute to camp costs. 

For over 80 years, Openlight has delivered programs for youth who have encountered hardships. These programs are run by volunteers and generously funded by donations.

Openlight is monitoring the Covid-19 situation closely and the safety of the community takes top priority.  

The purpose of Openlight is to strengthen communities and encourage meaningful service that contributes to society through social wellness and recreational programs.

For more information please visit openlight.org.au, or connect with the Openlight Community Garden on Facebook.