Despite problems obtaining Student Association recognition, a group of UB students called the Organic Gardeners Club is seeking land on which they can grow organic fruits and vegetables for the needy in the Buffalo community.
The group of approximately 30 students is looking to plant organic produce on land at the corner of Bailey Avenue and Main Street, land behind Sweet Home High School, or in greenhouses on North Campus.
Hoffman said he started the group because he did a lot of personal gardening with friends in Eastern Long Island.
"I was thinking, what is stopping me from sticking a few seeds in the ground up here?" Hoffman said. "And then, I figured out that the only reason that is really stopping me is that they are going to mow it down."
Though the group has received a large number of interested participants, SA has yet to officially recognize the club.
"They haven't been recognized as a temporary club yet because they do not have enough of undergraduate membership to be an SA club," said SA Vice President Jennifer Brace. "They have a lot of faculty and members of the university community who want to be members, and anyone can become a member, but they just need 10 undergrads to become an SA club."
Hoffman said many of the students involved in Organic Gardeners are graduate students. He has not sought out Graduate Student Association recognition, however, because he is an undergraduate student and the club's more active members are undergraduates.
Presently, the primary focus of the group is to secure land to grow their produce so that it can be donated to churches, soup kitchens and other relief organizations.
"People are so generous when it comes to the community. I think, generally, if put (before) an opportunity to do good or to do bad, people will choose good," Hoffman said. "This club presents a way that people could help the community directly."
Since the club does not yet have SA recognition, it is considered a volunteer service, but Hoffman said this is not necessarily a disadvantage. He said being a volunteer organization has many benefits, such as the ability to focus time on service rather than the politics often associated recognized organizations.
"We do not necessarily need the SA recognition because the facilities are helping us," Hoffman said. "I will rework the charter, and we can look forward to SA recognition soon."
For more information on the club, e-mail iamhereinthegarden@hotmail.com.
