BENTON HARBOR — One of the lasting legacies left behind by Tom Neubauer of Union Pier and Albany Park, Ill., is the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor’s Positive Sprouts gardening program.
Neubauer, well known in the area for organizing festivals and other events on both sides of Lake Michigan with his wife, Colleen Ryan, through Big Creek Productions and Traffic PR and Marketing, passed away on Nov. 17.
Colleen posted the following message on Facebook: “Dear Friends — My courageous prince ended his battle with cancer on Sunday, November 17. Tommy passed away peacefully holding my hand. His parents, family and close friends were all with us at our cottage in Union Pier.
Tom was thrilled to be in Michigan at the opening of deer season and wanted so badly to be in the woods for another outing. Weather and fatigue prevented an actual hunt, but watching college football and hanging at his cottage with friends after a difficult week was a reasonable trade off. There are few places Tom enjoyed being more than at his cottage. Sitting under the trees and simply being close to nature always lifted his spirits. Never was this truer than this past year.
The world lost one of its most genuine, interesting, and welcoming humans today. May we all find ways to share Tom’s zest for living, love of others, and commitment to family & friendship like he shared with each of us.”
Another posting noted that plans for a memorial service were still being made as of Nov. 19, adding that the service will not take place until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
When the couple decided to start the Farm to Table “foodie” event pairing local farms with Chicago and Southwest Michigan chefs, they contacted Monica Clark, who works at Whirlpool and Maytag. Clark had the idea of raising money for the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor.
Liji Hanny, Boys & Girls Club’s director of operations, said the Positive Sprouts gardening program was spearheaded by the Tom and Colleen.
Tom was born and raised in Benton Harbor before moving to Fairplain. He grew up picking fruit at local farms for spending money.
Club members are learning master gardening techniques with a little help from a grant from Maytag and the Sept. 1, 2013, Farm to Table Festival held at Round Barn Winery in rural Baroda that was hosted by the Chicago restaurant television show, “Check, Please!”
More than 20 chefs, along with 20 farms, artisans, wineries and breweries, participated in the festival.
Hanny said this is the second year money has been donated from Farm to Table. Last year’s $5,000 donation was used to build 10 above-ground garden beds, he said.
This year, he said, the $6,000 donation will be used to buy tools for the gardens and for field trips to local farms.
A plaque is being placed in the Sprouts garden thanking the Neubauers for their continued support.
“We want to educate young people about eating nutritious foods and maintaining healthy lifestyles,” Hanny said. “We’re blessed they (Maytag volunteers) have chosen to use their spare time to help us help kids.”
He said among the fruits and vegetables the club members grew were watermelon, squash, five types of tomatoes, five varieties of peppers, sage and ocra.
Hanny said the Positive Sprouts program is not only growing healthy fruits and vegetables, it’s also growing tomorrow’s leaders.
“I used to get into trouble,” said club member Darius Sallie, 13, of Benton Harbor. “I used to get an attitude a lot.”
He said his six years as a club member have changed things.
“I like working with the plants because ... I just like volunteering and I like to see stuff grow and mature,” Darius said.
Hanny said he is proud of the progress Darius has made over the years.
“He struggled with conflict resolution ... and he’s grown into one of the leaders around here,” Hanny said. “He’s the one on a scorching hot day who would get the key for the spigot so he and his friends could water it (the garden).”
Another club member who kept the garden going over the summer was Sydareha Moss, 14, of Benton Harbor.
“I like coming out here and watering the plants and watching them grow,” she said.
Sydareha said she is looking forward to the club’s starting a cooking class to teach members how to cook the vegetables grown in the garden.
Hanny said if it wasn’t for Darius and Sydareha taking leadership roles, the garden would not have been nearly as successful. He said he couldn’t keep up with the watering every day, but Darius and Sydareha made sure it was done.
“The Boys and Girls Club is about building future leaders, and I see two future leaders here,” he said. “They are really a microcosm of the work we do here.”
Hanny said the Positive Sprouts program was started as a way to fight obesity and to teach young people about where their food comes from. He said about 20 club members worked in the garden over the summer.
Neubauer, well known in the area for organizing festivals and other events on both sides of Lake Michigan with his wife, Colleen Ryan, through Big Creek Productions and Traffic PR and Marketing, passed away on Nov. 17.
Colleen posted the following message on Facebook: “Dear Friends — My courageous prince ended his battle with cancer on Sunday, November 17. Tommy passed away peacefully holding my hand. His parents, family and close friends were all with us at our cottage in Union Pier.
Tom was thrilled to be in Michigan at the opening of deer season and wanted so badly to be in the woods for another outing. Weather and fatigue prevented an actual hunt, but watching college football and hanging at his cottage with friends after a difficult week was a reasonable trade off. There are few places Tom enjoyed being more than at his cottage. Sitting under the trees and simply being close to nature always lifted his spirits. Never was this truer than this past year.
The world lost one of its most genuine, interesting, and welcoming humans today. May we all find ways to share Tom’s zest for living, love of others, and commitment to family & friendship like he shared with each of us.”
Another posting noted that plans for a memorial service were still being made as of Nov. 19, adding that the service will not take place until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
When the couple decided to start the Farm to Table “foodie” event pairing local farms with Chicago and Southwest Michigan chefs, they contacted Monica Clark, who works at Whirlpool and Maytag. Clark had the idea of raising money for the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor.
Liji Hanny, Boys & Girls Club’s director of operations, said the Positive Sprouts gardening program was spearheaded by the Tom and Colleen.
Tom was born and raised in Benton Harbor before moving to Fairplain. He grew up picking fruit at local farms for spending money.
Club members are learning master gardening techniques with a little help from a grant from Maytag and the Sept. 1, 2013, Farm to Table Festival held at Round Barn Winery in rural Baroda that was hosted by the Chicago restaurant television show, “Check, Please!”
More than 20 chefs, along with 20 farms, artisans, wineries and breweries, participated in the festival.
Hanny said this is the second year money has been donated from Farm to Table. Last year’s $5,000 donation was used to build 10 above-ground garden beds, he said.
This year, he said, the $6,000 donation will be used to buy tools for the gardens and for field trips to local farms.
A plaque is being placed in the Sprouts garden thanking the Neubauers for their continued support.
“We want to educate young people about eating nutritious foods and maintaining healthy lifestyles,” Hanny said. “We’re blessed they (Maytag volunteers) have chosen to use their spare time to help us help kids.”
He said among the fruits and vegetables the club members grew were watermelon, squash, five types of tomatoes, five varieties of peppers, sage and ocra.
Hanny said the Positive Sprouts program is not only growing healthy fruits and vegetables, it’s also growing tomorrow’s leaders.
“I used to get into trouble,” said club member Darius Sallie, 13, of Benton Harbor. “I used to get an attitude a lot.”
He said his six years as a club member have changed things.
“I like working with the plants because ... I just like volunteering and I like to see stuff grow and mature,” Darius said.
Hanny said he is proud of the progress Darius has made over the years.
“He struggled with conflict resolution ... and he’s grown into one of the leaders around here,” Hanny said. “He’s the one on a scorching hot day who would get the key for the spigot so he and his friends could water it (the garden).”
Another club member who kept the garden going over the summer was Sydareha Moss, 14, of Benton Harbor.
“I like coming out here and watering the plants and watching them grow,” she said.
Sydareha said she is looking forward to the club’s starting a cooking class to teach members how to cook the vegetables grown in the garden.
Hanny said if it wasn’t for Darius and Sydareha taking leadership roles, the garden would not have been nearly as successful. He said he couldn’t keep up with the watering every day, but Darius and Sydareha made sure it was done.
“The Boys and Girls Club is about building future leaders, and I see two future leaders here,” he said. “They are really a microcosm of the work we do here.”
Hanny said the Positive Sprouts program was started as a way to fight obesity and to teach young people about where their food comes from. He said about 20 club members worked in the garden over the summer.
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