Ala-Tom RC&D Council
RC&D: Resource Conservation and Development based on community-driven collaboration and communication.
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This project was to employee 2 staff to supervise and help the 30 virtual children who attended our Supervised Distant learning all year here at the club and for our after school program which these two staff members stayed and tutored children for the after school program.
During our day time virtual program we serviced 12 children from Wilcox County who attended F.S. Ervin School. It was a blessing to have the extra money to help pay for these two staff members.
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The project is to educate the students on a alternative way of raising vegetable’s and fish. One method of the project will teach students on using solar power instead of using standard electricity. Second method will use the cat fish to fertilize the vegetables, and the vegetables will filter the water for the fish. If for any reason we are worried about bugs being a pest on the vegetables , we raise ladybugs to get rid of the pest problems.
When Phase I is up and operational, the fresh vegetables and fresh meat will benefit not only the school, but also the community. This will allow for the growth of not only the school and community, but may also provide room for further programs and projects due to the fund raisers which will be possible thanks to those assisting in the same.
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Cogongrass is a world class weed that is invading Alabama. It covers a lot of uncultivated land. Cogongrass stops productive use in forest lands, pastures, pecan, and other orchards and impacts crops and right of way management. Cogongrass is highly flammable and presents high risks to rural homeowners and firefighters.
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| The Chamber Ambassador program is designed to encourage student participation in public service through assisting the Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce in various projects throughout the year. This program also offers a monetary scholarship in the amount of $500 to eight senior students, specifically two students from each of the county’s four high schools, for their willingness to serve their community. |
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The Pine City Farmers Market project is an on-going community food system project designed to provide the structure and space for local farmers, artists, and craft-people to sell their products directly to the public. As a state-sanctioned market, seventy percent of the products sold at Pine City Farmers Market must be locally produced food within a 100-mile radius of Jackson, Alabama. The other 30 percent may be locally produced arts and crafts. This season our market featured locally produced fruits and vegetables, jams, pickles, honey, baked goods, plants, wooden creations, original artworks, and other items. We consider the Market an essential community destination because it located in a low access/low income tract, which is considered a food desert by the USDA. Our weekly market provided a much-needed access point to fresh food within walking distance to many low-income residents. In addition, Pine City Farmers Market participated in activities to promote garden education and community outreach.