Profiles:
Judy Bennett
I am very excited to be part of the Cityfarm Board of Directors.
Reading through the other profiles, I feel privileged to be working
with such a distinguished group of individuals.
I retired from a 32 year teaching career in 2006. I thought that
was a rewarding career, but I have been on even more interesting paths since then.
I began working with the Multicultural Heritage Centre in Stony Plain in November
of 2006. It was the perfect fit for me! I helped to develop some of the programs
for the school fieldtrips that the Centre offers. One of those programs, Alberta
Café, emphasizes eating healthy and the advantages of eating locally grown food-even
growing your own food! This program led me to investigate all the other programs
that are offered in this region. This is where I became aware of Cityfarm.
When the staff at the Multi Centre and I travelled to the Cityfarm site,
I was so excited about the possibilities it offered. As a teacher, I knew that
the school system does not always meet children at their learning or interest level.
This was the perfect solution to what I refer to as “the bell” system where the
bell rings and no matter what they are doing or how involved a child is in a project,
they have to put it away or rush to finish.
In 2007 I was elected to serve on the Town of Stony Plain Council. This too has
given me insight into what needs to be accomplished in order to have a municipality’s support.
I hope that I can use all these experience to enhance the Cityfarm concept and expand this program into other sites.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Brent Andressen
I was born in Fairview Alberta and grew up in small towns in
central Alberta. I am a graduate of the University of Alberta
and have taught grades 2-12 during a twenty-five year teaching
career. I have long been interested in helping young people
understand and value the natural systems that sustain us.
Currently I am working with Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural
Development as an Agriculture Education Coordinator.
I love hiking, cycling, and researching provincial history.
Sandi Draper
Sandi is a community recreation coordinator with the City of
Edmonton and has worked in the area of recreation and community
development for 40 years with a variety of organizations and
agencies
Janelle Herbert
Janelle and her husband Aaron joined Riverbend Gardens in the
spring of 2006. She is excited to work with husband and parents
on expanding the family farm. Riverbend Gardens has been in
business for 25 years and currently grows many types of
vegetables and flowers for 6 Edmonton and surrounding area
farmers markets. Riverbend also produces cucumbers and cabbage
for the wholesale.
Janelle is currently researching the possibilities for Riverbend
to expand into agri-tourism and having guests at the farm gate.
It has been a busy but successful year so far and Janelle is
looking forward to many more years to come.
