The house that came alive when the new tenant arrived is a legacy to the fruits of her labor. When she tells me that the grandparents of the young women thank her with seeds from Vietnam for her garden, this resonates a sense of real appreciation. Some of the Hmong young women are 2nd generation whose grandparents were boat people that fled from Vietnam. They were rescued by the Indonesians, later immigrated to the United States and some eventually found their way to the Dayton s Bluff area. The garden outside the kitchen deck area is already showing the new buds of the perennials that have been nurtured by the young people who are part of the project.
Gardening is one of the many programs offered throughout the year.
Bread baking and flowers for the table are also ongoing assignments for the girls. The Art in the Alley building behind the portage house is very busy all year round. During the fall and winter months the girls use computers with Internet access. During spring and summer they perform car repairs. They will change your oil, work on the engines and do other repairs.