SR Rotary hosts needs assessment

SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock Rotary Club will sponsor a needs assessment conference from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 19 at the Slippery Rock Fire Hall, 162 Elm St.

Participants will listen to leaders from organizations who provide services for those in need. Participants also will complete a quick survey. Lunch will be provided.

Speakers include Kelly Slair of the Center for Community Resources, Cecelia Foster of the Community Health Clinic of Butler County, Carol Lambert of the Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard, Beth Herold of the Butler County Area Agency on Aging, Amber Davis of the Alliance for Nonprofit Resources, Kierston Hobaugh of the United Way of Butler County, Jen Whitmoyer of Lifesteps, Karen Pierce of the Slippery Rock Community Library and Irene Thibault of the Salvation Army.

Registration is required before Tuesday; call Ron Fodor at 724-822-7064. Registration costs $1.

Macoskey Center rents garden plots

SLIPPERY ROCK — The Robert A. Macoskey Center for Sustainable Systems Education and Research at Slippery Rock University is renting organic garden plots to students and community members.

Interested persons, individual or groups, can make use of the plots. The cost is $40 for SRU students and $50 for community members, with a $20 refund provided at the end of the growing season if obligations and expectations are met.

Participants must sign an agreement with the Macoskey Center stipulating the gardener will refrain from using chemical fertilizers, including herbicides and pesticides, maintain a neat garden site, compost vegetative matter, use responsible water management practices and return borrowed tools.

In turn, the center provides compost, a small sign for each plot, water in barrels for irrigation and a select number of tools.

Sign-up is under way with gardens to be open for planting April 27, allowing for early crops or flowers.

There are a limited number of plots and they will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional details, call 724-738-4050.