Meet the Staff: Natalie

This week, get to know a little bit about Natalie, AmeriCorps ServiceCorps here at ReNU through this October.  

What is your favorite vegetable?

Red peppers or zucchini

What is your favorite saying/quote/phrase?

“Can you, by changing the conditions under which people live, slowly change the character of the people?” Bill McKibben (Hope, Human and Wild: True Stories of People Living Lightly on the Earth)

Name something healthy you did this week.

Took a long walk around Hoyt Lake

What is your favorite childhood past time?

Coloring and rock collecting

What is someplace you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t yet?

Grand Canyon

What was your first job? Good? Bad? Ugly?

Florist. Great! I still miss it.

What is your favorite board game?

Apples to Apples with a large group of people

What sitcom character reminds you of yourself?

Sadly—Liz Lemon of 30 Rock. Maybe with a pinch of Leslie Knope on a good day

Where is your favorite place to eat?

My parent’s house—those people know how to cook!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An architect, until someone told me I couldn’t just build whatever I wanted to. 

Around Town: What's your favorite thing about Niagara Falls?

As the community outreach office for Niagara University, ReNU is fortunate to be located right in the Falls! Living and/or working in Niagara Falls exposes people to many great things that the passer-by may sadly miss.  Check in to see what ReNU staff, local partners, residents, and other facebook friends have shared as their favorite things around town, and please share your own!

If you’d like to share your favorite thing about the City of Niagara Falls, NY, email us at natalie.renu@gmail.com, comment here, or contact us on facebook.  Please feel free to include a picture!

Share your experiences of what makes this place great!

The Falls themselves is an obvious favorite--what stands out for you?

Meet the Staff: Dennis

This week, get to know a little bit about Dennis, Vacant Lot Coordinator here are ReNU Niagara.  Dennis is a Niagara Falls native and an AmeriCorps ServiceCorps here this year.  

What is your favorite vegetable?

Corn, green beans, and Chinese stir fry

What is your favorite saying/quote/phrase?

In medeo stat vertus—latin, English-in the middle stands virtue

Name something healthy you did this week.

Rode my bike around the city. Cycling saves gas and creates less pollution.

Say something about your favorite pet.

Dogs are man’s best friend.

How many people in your family?

I have one brother in Columbus, Ohio who is two years older. My mom resides in Lewiston.

What is your favorite childhood past time?

Electronics

What is your favorite vacation/vacation spot?

When I was in kindergarten my mom’s folks moved to Naples, FL.  I remember lots of summers driving 4 days to south Florida.

What is someplace you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t yet?

Ireland and Rome

Do you have a mentor/someone you look up to? What do you admire about them?

My scoutmaster/venture leader.  He is a true family man and role model. 

1What was your first job? Good? Bad? Ugly?

My first job was being a camp counselor in Michigan.  My first paying job was changing tires at Montgomery Ward.

What is your favorite thing about where you grew up?

“My town holds one of the natural wonders of the world”

 What is your biggest pet peeve?

Computer software w/o manuals.

What is your favorite board game?

Scrabble or chess.

1What sitcom character reminds you of yourself?

Kramer

What is your favorite month?

I like them all, just not the cold

Do you have any phobias/fears?

Stopped doing roller coasters about 35 years ago

What is your earliest family car?

Pontiac silver streak

Do you side with a political party?

Independent

 How old do you hope to live to be?

107

What is your favorite TV show of all time?

Seinfeld

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An inventor. I was interviewed in the 8^th grade for the paper. Talked all about Edison.

Market Days!

The Highland Community Vegetable Garden has tons of fresh vegetables ready to eat!

Every Monday and Wednesday from 5pm-7pm, ReNU will be in the garden with community groups watering and weeding--and now distributing vegetables!

Bring a grocery bag and a couple dollars (which goes towards seeds and plants for next years garden) and go home with red and yellow cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, collards, carrots, basil, parsley, dill, beets, turnips, beans, and more!

Meet the Staff: John

      This summer, ReNU has had John, an AmeriCorps VISTA, on staff to take care of the Highland Community Vegetable Garden at Kalfas School and the NU Campus Garden.  Daily community group garden maintenance and the 2012 workshop series have been organized and supervised by John.   Learn a little more about him here and meet him in person at this Wednesday's 6pm Salsa Making workshop! 

Q: What is your favorite vegetable?

A: Cucumbers

Q: What is your favorite saying/quote/phrase?

A: I’m Sorry

Q: Say something about your favorite pet.

A: 75lb lap dog

Q: How many people in your family?

A: 3

Q: What is your favorite childhood past time?

A: Playing catch with my pops

Q: What is your favorite vacation/vacation spot?

A: My cottage

Q: What is someplace you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t yet?

A: Hawaii and Australia

Q: Do you have a mentor/someone you look up to? What do you admire about them?

A: Father—loyalty and mental toughness

Q: What was your first job? Good? Bad? Ugly?

A: Mall Kiosk Worker—Good

Q: What is your favorite thing about where you grew up?

A: The high school memories

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?

A: Loud chewing

Q: What is your favorite board game?

A: Battleship

Q: What sitcom character reminds you of yourself?

A: Cory Matthews (Boy Meets World)

Q: What is your favorite month?

A: August

Q: Where is your favorite place to eat?

A: Buffalo Chophouse

Q: Do you have any phobias/fears?

A: Spiders and snakes

Q: What is your earliest family car?

A: 1990 Ford Aerostar

Q: How old do you hope to live to be?

A: 95-100

Q: What is your favorite TV show of all time?

A: Wonder Years

Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A: A Jockey

HCVG: Let's Make Salsa!

Are you a fan of vegetables? Want to learn about nutrition and fun recipes you can do yourself? If you answered yes to either or both questions then you are in luck!

ReNU Niagara and the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County are proud to announce on August 15 at 6pm there will be a workshop held at the Kalfas Magnet School.  During this workshop, staff will discuss the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. Children will partake in activities that incorporate knowledge regarding the food groups, nutrition and understanding healthy portion sizes. Families will also learn the importance of being physically active and living an overall healthy life. Staff from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County will be hosting a cooking lesson on how to make homemade salsa. The ingredients used for the salsa will be produce from the Kalfas Community Garden. The goal is to create healthy recipes from vegetables that can be grown in a typical garden. Families will be able to watch how the salsa is made, taste a sample and be able to have a copy of the recipe to take home for future use.

Before, during and after the workshop families will be encouraged to help participate in the watering, weeding and any general maintenance duties of the garden!!!! Looking forward to seeing everyone out there!! 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the ReNU office at 205-0287 and ask for John.

Meet the Staff: Emily

This week’s meet the staff questions are answered by Emily.  Emily has been the AmeriCorps ABLE here at ReNU Niagara for the last 10 weeks.  Sadly, her time at the ReNU office has come to an end, but we wish her all the best as she starts graduate school later this month! ReNU will miss you!

Q: What is your favorite vegetable? 

A: Zucchini

Q: Say something about your favorite pet.

A:  My oldest family dog, Chica, is a 17 year old boxer-chihuahua mix

Q:  What is your favorite vacation/vacation spot?

A:  Florence, Italy, where I studied abroad for a semester (never really “vacationed” there, but it’s my favorite travel spot!)

Q:  What is your favorite thing about where you grew up?

A:  Lake Keowee (check) in the summers.

Q:  What is your favorite month?

A:  October

Q:  Where is your favorite place to eat?

A:  Super Taco in Clemson, SC

Q:  Do you side with a political party?

A:  Usually!

Q:  What is your favorite TV show of all time?

A:  Toss up between Lost, Gilmore Girls, and Mad Men.

Q:  When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A:  An actress, of course. :-). 

ReNU: Vacant Lots in the News!

Overgrowth on a vacant lot at Main Street and Niagara Avenue typifies the blight problem in Niagara Falls as Kendra Gaynor, of Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Tom Lowe, of ReNU Niagara, discuss solutions.

ReNU Niagara's vacant lot initiative has developed into an extensive collaborative effort with 20+ organizations.  The new entity, Greenprint Niagara, is the result of these efforts and this past week the organization was approved to sign a lease and begin community gardening on the city owned, vacant lots in Niagara Falls, NY.  Press coverage followed, and can be seen here!

Buffalo News: Planning to turn blight into bright

Niagara Gazette: Falls teaming up with NU's Green Print Niagara program

USA Today: Niagara Falls OKs plan to spruce-up vacant lots