2006 Garden Crusader Awards

2006 Grand Prize winner Marvin Dunn

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated for the 2006 Garden Crusader Awards. Here are the winners:

GRAND PRIZE
Marvin Dunn
Miami, Fla.

Marvin's work in the Overtown section of Miami began with a two-acre garden and has become a 30-acre project with 40 paid staff and 300 volunteers.
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EDUCATION
Vince Lalli
Seneca Falls, N.Y.

Vince started his retirement by earning a Master's degree in horticulture and has gone on to develop a range of programs that use gardening to bridge the generations.Read more ...

• Second Place: John Reddick, New York, N.Y.
• Third Place: Thomas Azwell, Berkeley, Calif.
• Honorable Mention: Jane Smillie, Cambridge, Mass.; Rebecca Lemos, Baltimore, Md.

FEEDING THE HUNGRY
Sharon Parks
Klamath Falls, Ore.

Thanks to Sharon, the food banks in south-central Oregon are now stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, grown by local volunteers, farmers, supermarkets and restaurants. Read more ...

• Second Place: Fred Conrad, Atlanta, Ga.
• Third Place: Bob Tanem, Novato, Calif.
• Honorable Mention: Johanna Willins, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Pauline Williman, Voorheesville, N.Y.

BEAUTIFICATION
Marie Frye
Warrensburg, Mo.

Marie lead the effort to reclaim an abandoned town park and turn it into a beautiful garden by planting native trees, shrubs and other prairie plants. Read more ...

• Second Place: Len Maniace, Jackson Heights, N.Y.
• Third Place: Elizabeth Robinson, Chicago, Ill.
• Honorable Mention: Betsy Schulz, Del Mar, Calif.; Amanda Benner, Philadelphia, Pa.

URBAN RENEWAL
Melvin Carter
Providence, R.I.

Mel spearheaded an effort near his home in South Providence, to convert abandoned lots into community gardens. His success is inspiring others throughout the city. Read more ...

• Second Place: Shirley Moore, Ecorse, Mich.
• Third Place: Bonnie Sherk, San Francisco, Calif.
• Honorable Mention: Beki Quintero, Tucson, Ariz.; Danielle Andrews, Dorchester, Mass.

RESTORATION
Emily Posner
New Orleans, La.

Emily arrived in New Orleans in September 2005, to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. She has stayed on to share her gardening know-how with the community. Read more ...

• Second Place: Becky Lemieux, Odanah, Wis.
• Third Place: Dr. Mike Sherlock, Baltimore, Md.
• Honorable Mention: Jim Kleinwatcher, Warrenville, Ill., Paul Red Elk, St. Paul, Minn.