Join Our Facebook Group

Today, I started a facebook group to reach out to more people in the community. Join here.

Tell your story.

One of the great things I have experienced while working to save Sophia Garden is hearing stories about the different ways people use the space. Please take a moment to tell your story in the comments section of this post.

I will get the ball rolling by telling you mine...

I moved a block away from the garden three years ago. At the time, I was beginning graduate school at Columbia College in the photography department. I was immediately drawn to the garden as a peaceful spot to both relax and photograph in. Since then, I have spent many summer days laying on the benches towards the back of the garden and reading or sitting in the sun. If you visit the garden frequently, you may have seen me photographing there (even in the dead of winter).

I cannot imagine starting my day without passing Sophia Garden on my way to the EL. In the summer, sunflowers warm my heart and bunnies cross my path. In the winter, the beautiful layers of dead brown plants poetically reflect the dormancy of the season. Where else in Chicago can you experience that on a daily basis?

Pictures of the garden we are working to save

Thanks to Colleen Plumb for these pictures!

Let a Ribbon Be Your Voice

Show your support for saving Sophia Garden by stopping by and tying a ribbon to the garden's fence. This morning I placed a bag of ribbons at the site for community members to use. Each ribbon represents a person who believes this green space is worth saving. Your ribbon symbolically voices your vote for green space in Rogers Park.

Lantern Walk

Sue Smock-Lawson our good friends at Uncommon Ground have arranged for a lantern walk at 6:30pm on October 23rd to bring our community together in support of saving Sophia Graden.

Uncommon Ground we will be hosting their monthly Green Room Sessions,
a monthly eco-mixer that brings together green minded individuals with
free appetizers made from local farm products and interesting
sponsers. Please feel free to come early and meet other great
organizations in the neighborhood and enjoy the food! The Green Room
Sessions go from 6-9pm on October 23rd. There will be a table reserved to
display Sofia Garden information and pictures and this may be a great
opportunity to have a petition and gather a lot of signatures.
Hopefully this will bring in more people to walk with us for the Sofia
Garden lantern walk!


Uncommon Ground
1401 W. Devon
773-465-9801

Letter Writing Campaign

Sophia Garden can only be saved if our community is able to convince Loyola of it's value. We are asking community members to write letters to Michael Brosko, Loyola's Director of Community Relations and Jennifer Clark, Loyola's Director of Community Relations. Please emphasize the importance of this garden to our community. If you are a student at Loyola, please emphasize ways the garden enriches your educational environment.

WRITE BY EMAIL:
Michael Brosko - email mbrosko@luc.edu
Jennifer Clark - I wasn't able to find Ms. Clark's email address, but hopefully I will be able to post it tomorrow.

WRITE BY SNAIL MAIL:
Loyola University Chicago
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611