Marseilles Gift Garden goes from table to produce stand

Editor’s Note: An incorrect source was listed in Monday’s article in The Times. This version has been corrected.

The Gift Garden in Marseilles was established in the summer of 2022, and now has a produce stand.

It is located on the east side of Knudson park in between the bathrooms and the park.

This community garden’s purpose is to feed the community. It was sponsored by Krysta Kelly, as well as the members of the Gift and be Gifted, Facebook group.

“Our dream came to life with a little stand filled with baskets,” Kelly said in a news release. “This summer it grew thanks to a member Lisa Nolan donating an umbrella to keep our produce covered. A cooler also was added for fresher items. Kim Kozak then came to me with a vision of creating a long lasting garden stand, shaded from the sun and free from flies and squirrels.”

Kozak created a GoFundMe that raised more than $480.

“With the communities donations we wanted to make sure we could create the most efficient and producing stand for our amazing community,” Kelly said. “My gracious and giving father from Wisconsin took the funds for supplies and did all the labor for free to make our dreams come to life. He took a picture and made it reality for us in one week as well as delivered it to our lovely Knudson Park.”

Joseph Nasca offered supplies and time to place a roof on the cart. Mayor Jim Hollenbeck bought the netting to update the garden to protect the produce from flies. In the future the group is looking to paint the Gift Garden and add a sign to the back for residents to see from both sides.

“Our goal is come together as a community and give,” Kelly said. “Give what you can, take what you please, but above all … love thy neighbor.