Elissa Lafranconi might be done with undergraduate work at UNLV, but she’s still putting down roots on campus.
She took over the university's community garden last year and — along with beets, herbs, and tomatoes — cultivated an ambitious schedule of events. The organic garden on the northwest corner of the campus is home to workshops, children’s events, and a monthly farmers market that starts later this spring.
"We want to teach people the skills of having a garden of their own because it is part of the sustainability council and part of sustainability is this cycle of everyday steps to make a contribution," Lafranconi said.
The garden's bounty will be featured in May on the menu at the 555 Dinner to raise funds for Create a Change Now, a nonprofit that promotes healthy eating.
"They're planning a five-course menu of vegetables grown at the garden at Vegenation on May 7," she said.
Lafranconi, a philosophy major who applied to UNLV’s Boyd Law School as well as out of state, said she wanted to make a lasting contribution to the university.
"I would say 75 percent of the students don't know we have a garden because it is kind of far from the main campus," she said, "So, our goal is to show them they have this outdoor classroom and resource that they can come and learn and grow and get their hands on experience."
For more information about the garden and its activities, click here.
Elissa Lafranconi, runs UNLV Community Garden