Under the blazing Florida sun, our vibrant community came together to celebrate World Earth Day with heart, hope, and a shared love for the Earth. Among the many helping hands was the wonderful Rachel Tang, who generously volunteered her time and energy in the days leading up to the celebration. Rachel assisted with event setup, arranged activity stations for guests, and even added a fresh touch to the Guiding Spirit Organic Garden sign—captured in the photo below.
One of the most popular stations was the Window Herb Garden, where guests got their hands dirty and their spirits lifted by potting their own fresh herbs. Nearby, calming scents and interactive fun filled the air at the Essential Oil Station, offering an aromatic escape for all ages.
Children flocked to the Rock Painting Station, adding colorful creations to our growing garden gallery. All the while, the soothing R&B sounds of Voixx flowed through the garden. Her soulful voice energized the crowd, inspiring dancing and swaying beneath the trees. We were honored to have her perform original songs, all available on major streaming platforms and through her website linked here.
This year’s Earth Day celebration was made even more meaningful by our raffle fundraiser, which helped raise funds to repair our community well—vandalized several months ago. This well is a vital part of our garden, providing water to grow the food, herbs, and flowers that nourish our community.
We’re deeply grateful to the generous local donors who made our raffle possible:
Nicole Scavo at Salon Lofts
Brocato’s Sandwich Shop
Special thanks also to Lewis Cruz from Lowe’s for donating essential gardening supplies, and to Carlos Juan Espinal Nursery for donating herbs for the second year in a row. Mona’s Floral Creations provided beautiful flowers sold during the event. William Stone from UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County shared educational materials about frogs, Florida-friendly landscaping, butterfly bookmarks with milkweed seeds, rain gauges, and more.
The fabulous pinwheel refreshments were made with fresh herbs and greens harvested straight from our garden. The strawberries and leafy greens were a refreshing treat in the spring heat.
To everyone who came out to celebrate with us—thank you for honoring Mother Earth in such a beautiful and joyful way. We can’t wait to see you again this October for our 2nd Annual Autumn Twilight Festival. Stay tuned for details in the coming months!
