There are seven open positions on the board. The constitution states the board is to have no less than five and no more than seven members. Please vote for your candidates using the surveymonkey in your email or via mail if necessary. Each plot gets one vote. The deadline to submit your vote is November 30th. Winners will be announced by the next board meeting on December 3rd at 7pm at The Village Green.

Debbie Baer

Why do you want to be on the VG Board?
I have been a tenant (formally) of the VG for the last three years, and feel I have the unique advantage to see things from a tenant /resident and a gardener at the Village Green. Though not required, I attended all but three board meetings of the Village Green and feel this also gives me an advantage to the workings of the board, and committees.

What skills do you bring to the board?
I have been the Membership Chairperson for the last two years, so I am knowledgeable of the process for recruiting new members as well as retaining returning members. I have also raised funds for the Village Green for capital improvements (i.e.-the pond and fountain).

What is your vision for the Village Green?
I would very much like the Village Green to expand its community work, into the immediate neighborhood, perhaps with gardening classes, programs to help start gardens with some of the residents in the community as well as expanding a Senior program to help our older residents maintain gardens on their own property. I feel this best expresses our mission statement at the Village Green.

Chuck Brown

Why do you want to be on the board of the Village Green?
I want to be on the Board because I want to see the Village Green prosper as an effective organization in Northside.

What skills will you bring to the board?
I feel I can make a valuable contribution due to my ten years on the Board of the Northside Community Council and 15 years as an active community volunteer.

What vision do you have for The Village Green?
The VG/MOBO serves as a valuable focus for efforts involving environmental awareness, community organization, and healthy lifestyles. I would hope that those efforts would evolve in even newer, more creative direction.

Madeline Dorger

Why do you want to be on the board of the Village Green?
I just moved to Northside this past September and am very excited to blend into Northside's community. Through connections made at the Civic Garden Center, I've become acquainted with the Village Green and want to get involved. I love plants and people and all growing things and am excited to work with both.

What skills will you bring to the board?
I've been working at Gorman Heritage Farm since June, 2008 as an Educator. Aside from the plant and animal knowledge the farm has given me, I've developed lessons for kids from preschool to middle school, which can be used to expand the Village Green's education programs. GHF has also allowed me to go to conferences like the Farm Based Education Association Conference, South West Ohio Bee Association's Bee School, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association Conference, community gardening, and permaculture classes. These educational opportunities are only a few of the resources that being a part of a working educational farm allows, and I am excited to be able to share them.

What vision do you have for the Village Green?
Building new green spaces whether in pots on porches or farms in urban settings reverses suburban and urban sprawl and grows farm sprawl. The Village Green has reclaimed a piece of urban landscape. While its space is limited, it is a center for farm sprawl in Northside. Through education, urban farmers of all ages can be trained to start mini farms in recycled milk jugs, terracotta pots, and garden plots - on window sills, front stoops, and backyards. I'd like to see the Village Green spread its green epicenter wider into the Northside community with more education opportunities for Northsiders who do not have a garden plot but wish to garden in a pot.

Natalie Fields

Why do you want to be on the board of the Village Green?
I really enjoyed working with Village Green members on the outreach events this year and would like to be more involved in group leadership. It's a great organization.

What skills will you bring to the board?
While my gardening skills are new and growing, I have great experience in other areas.

* Leadership and leadership development - I helped to establish and worked for three years on the Public Library's Children's Services leadership team. We worked with administration, children's librarians, and the organization at large to direct Children's Services, develop our staff, and improve our organizational capacity to provide excellent services for young people, families, and their advocates.
* Mentoring experience - I've mentored many colleagues and young people, formally and informally.
* Community Building and Partnerships - A big part of my day job includes building ties with the community--individuals, organizations, and businesses--to figure out how we can work together to pool our strengths to fulfill our common goals.
* Details and grunt work--I have more experience than I would like preparing agendas, facilitating meetings, and taking notes.

What vision do you have for The Village Green?
My short time with the Village Green shows me that it's a great resource for members and the community at large. I'd like to learn more about what our members and our community would like from the organization and work on fulfilling those needs. Additionally, I'd like to explore the partnership between the gardeners and our sister organization, MoBo. We have a common goal of sustainability and healthy bodies--I'm curious where this partnership could go should the two groups want to do more together. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thea Munchel

Why do you want to run for the board of The Village Green?
I believe that The Village Green is an exciting non-profit that is extremely relevant to the community at this time. The two years that I have been part of the VG have been very educational and have exposed me to the practice of growing my own food and, through partnership with MoBo, how to work on my own bike.

What will you bring to the board of the Village Green?
I bring with me a commitment to the VG and it's programming, strong organizational skills, and a passion for the success of the non-profit.

What vision do you have for the Village Green?
I hope to build on the existing strengths of the VG, to expand educational opportunities provided through partnerships with other nonprofit organizations with a similar mission. Also, I hope to strengthen the relationships between VG members , the VG Board and MoBo.

Lucia Palmarini

Why do you want to run for the board of the Village Green?
As the MoBo representative on the board of the Village Green for the past two years, I have worked to build collaboration and understanding between the two. I believe strongly in the missions of both MoBo and the VG and am committed to helping develop a shared vision that changes the way they interact with each other and the community at large through shared resources and goals. I would like to be part of the next stage of growth with the VG and MoBo and believe I have much to offer and much to learn.

What skills will you bring to the board?
As a founder of MoBo, an active participant in numerous committees of the VG & MoBo and a career in non-profit development and education, I can offer experience, motivation and knowledge. I am a leader who strives to build leaders, engage a diverse community, and maximize the potential of the organization and its members. I also have skills in strategic planning and financial development.

What vision do you have for the Village Green?
As a board member, I will work towards the following goals:

* Engage and Mobilize gardeners to be more active volunteers
* Strengthen and build bond between MoBo and VG
* Reach out to the Northside and greater community with more educational events

Jessica Hesford

Why do I want to be on the Village Green Board?
I love gardening. For me, it is a pure joy. I also love my neighborhood. The Village Green is an opportunity to combine the joy that comes from growing food and flowers and the excitement that comes from being apart of a wonderful, thriving community. The Village Green has so much potential as an organization. These days, people are genuinely interested in learning about sustainability and local food. I would like to continue to build the organization so that it can truly capitalize on the growing interest in "going green."

What can I bring to the Board?
Horticultural experience: I have worked as a Horticultural Technician for the Cincinnati Park Board and was manager of the Earlham Collage Greenhouse and Conservatory.
Organizing and non-profit experience: I have been on the Village Green Board for the past two years and VG Volunteer Coordinator for the past year.

What is my vision for the Village Green?
I would like to see MoBo Bicycle Co-op and the Village Green functioning more as a team. I think both groups would benefit from a more harmonious relationship. I like to see the groups organizing events and workshops together and sharing resources. Ultimately, I see the Village Green as an organization with two arms: MoBo Bicycle Coop and the Village Green. Both groups work individually, but also together to build community and sustainability practices in our neighborhood and city.