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3. A Garden Representatives group is forming to suggest needs and recommend improvements. We now have representatives from the key languages and cultures of our garden. The greatest needs for improvement that they have identified are a deer fence to prevent intrusion of deer, and sun and rain shelter, especially for gardeners who walk or wait for transportation. One of our gardeners proposed a project that addresses housing, health, and family needs. The Self - Development of People (SDOP) program of the Presbyterian Synod of Lakes and Prairies announced in early November an award of $19,104 to this Garden Women's Group, coordinated by gardener Esther Brown, in cooperation with five other RSG women, for this 2023 project. The Presbyterian grant project to this group is already prompting others' ideas for life and leadership and community development within and beyond the garden itself. Finally, we also competed for $25,000 grants from the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation and the FW Bigelow Foundation, but with over 1,000 competitors, we didn't win. 4. The Future of Rice Street Gardens As one can imagine, we would like the RSG to continue indefinitely into the future. The overall plot near the intersection of Rice Street and Roselawn Avenue is owned by the Saint Paul Regional Water System (SPRWS) who purchased the land for $2.5 million in 2013. Their purchase was for about 13 acres, of which 9 acres are potentially developable (the rest consists of a pond and watershed). RSG is currently using about 2.5 acres. SPRWS has decided that they no longer need this land and are actively trying to sell it. An aerial view showing our garden is on the following page. SPRWS land is within the dotted line and extends to the East along the railroad line (not shown entirely). To protect the gardens, we are working with several powerful groups who are interested in the future of the area, who are generally sympathetic to continuing the gardens, but who have additional economic drivers. They are described below the photo along with our plans to stay involved. .