Our ward has opted to offer consecrated gardening. The Humanitarian organization that we sponsor, Interfaith Assistance Ministry, has indicated a need for fresh produce. We are encouraging everyone in our ward who puts in a garden this year to do one of two things. First they may plant 1/10 of their garden for IAM. Or they may offer 10% of their yield to IAM. We plan to keep track of our donations to determine how many pounds of vegetables and fruit we donate to IAM. We are also going to use our "Other" category on our tithing slips to accumulate enough funds to go to the storehouse and purchase $1000 of needed commodities for IAM, since our chance of getting funding this year from the Church's Humanitarian funds is significantly less than in years past.

Article in BlueRidgeNow.com about LDS boy Ben Leslie, 6, who has been diagnosed with synovial cancer.

Link: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20140302/ARTICLES/140309998/0/search

Want to Help?

• A benefit dinner for Ben Leslie is scheduled for 4-7 p.m. March 15 at Saluda Fire and Rescue, 199 Walnut St. Barbecue plates will be sold for $7 per person.
• Send mail to Ben at P.O. Box 627, Dana, NC 28724.
• For updates on Ben's condition, visit his Facebook page "Blessings for Ben Leslie."
• The State Employees Credit Union is managing a fund to help with Ben's medical bills.

--Submitted by Lindsay Shelton