Youth in a Tri-Cities employment skills program had to scoop bark mulch with their hands for a community garden project they they are working on because thieves stole their shovels on the weekend.
The six shovels had been stashed around the back of 2420 Mary Hill Road in Port Coquitlam, a Family Resource Centre, where the youth are working on their Chance to Choose project.
"It's ridiculous," program coordinator Evelyn Humphreys commented, adding that the youth were disappointed to lose their tools.
However, that didn't stop the 12 young adults aged 19 and older from continuing to work on improving the soil for planting kitchen crops.
In addition to swiping the shovels, the thief also unscrewed and carried off a brand new hose and took some planters.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of these garden tools or who wishes to contribute new equipment is asked to call the program at 604-931-5889.
The group also needs donated plants for the garden and has secured an arrangement with Art Knapps Plantland at 1300 Dominion Ave. in Port Coquitlam for donations. The store has established a registry of needed items and customers can purchase them for the youth when they do their shopping.
"It's like a bridal registry but they've got a plant registry there," Humphreys explained.
A Chance to Choose is a youth employment program run by SUCCESS and funded by Service Canada. During the 15-week program, young people develop employability skills such as marketing, project management, team building, communication and entrepreneurial skills.
The program is based in Port Moody, and the PoCo Chance to Grow garden at the resource centre run by Tri-City Transitions is a work skills project that will teach youth how to grow and market their produce.
dstrandberg@tricitynews.com
