Historical February–March 2009 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Out of more than 400 entries nationwide, our neighborhood’s own Andy Cross was a winner in the national 2008 Garden Crusader contest.
The contest is the creation of Gardener’s Supply Company, an employee-owned, 25-yearold, mail-order gardening firm in Burlington, Vt., “to honor individuals who are improving the world through gardening,” according to its mission statement. “These enthusiastic men and women are planting trees and flowers, growing food, creating new green spaces, and teaching their friends and neighbors about the rewards of gardening.” Contest prizes each year total $15,000. Skinker DeBaliviere resident Becky Homan knew about this award program from her garden-writing days at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
She nominated Andy last summer, with help from Darcell Braylock, executive director of the Skinker DeBaliviere Community Council. Also, folks agreeing to give Andy references for this contest included Gwenne HayesStewart, director of Gateway Greening, and Dr. Steven Cline, director of the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden. What Andy won for placing third nationally in “Urban Renewal” — one of the contest’s four categories – is $500 in gift certificates from Gardener’s Supply extensive and well-priced catalog.
He also received a special edition baseball cap touting his award plus an official, frameable letter of congratulations. Go online to www.gardeners. com, click on “community” and Garden Crusaders to see Andy’s name in a list of a dozen top community-gardener winners from around the country.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2009.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2009_02.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
