Natalie Rovello: In The Weeds

When I recently had the wonderful opportunity to plan my own KCIYA service project, I had two things in mind: I wanted to reach across the aisle from my own Catholic identity, and somehow help the environment in the process. In my opinion, there is one place in Kansas City that encompasses both these ideals: Mitzvah Garden.

So the service day was coordinated with the incredible Ken Sonnenschein and his team. For months, I pulled my hair out over logistics - who would show up, how many questions should I write, what do I wear? In mid-September, the time came. I drove to The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah all the way in Overland Park. As soon as we parked, I experienced a wave of relief. I felt it would all go well.

Thankfully, it did. We helped the garden prepare for winter by raking up the weed-preventing straw they put over tarps in rows that cover about a quarter of the garden. Then some of our group went to harvest and sort apples while a few others and I took the tarps from the ground and transported them to the other side of the garden. By the end, I was sweaty, tired, and covered in dirt, agreeing emphatically that the tarps should not be used anymore (Mr. Sonnenschein, if you’re reading this - it’s a good idea!). I was also incredibly happy. That’s the magic of Mitzvah Garden. Not everyone is cut out for working outside (it’s certainly not my favorite thing). But somehow, in that space, I grow to love the manual labor I’m doing. It’s a hard phenomenon to explain, but it probably has to do with the fact that I’m surrounded by people who are working alongside me, towards the same goal. Or maybe how I know that what comes from this land will go to feed a hungry person. Or maybe that when I hear the shofar (a horn used for Jewish religious ceremonies that Mr. Sonnenschein plays at the end of each project at his garden) I feel that whatever higher power that’s out there is proud of me.

Natalie Rovello

Natalie Rovello is a junior at St. Teresa's Academy. She has been on the leadership team of KCIYA for two years, and has loved every minute! Some of her biggest passions are writing and making art. In the future, she would like to work in the film industry.