As part of Hamilton County’s We Thrive public health initiative, Wyoming is partnering with the City of Reading for a weekly Farmer’s Market this summer, from 4 -7 pm every Friday afternoon. In the wake of the permanent closure of the Wyoming Avenue Farmer’s Market after 13 years, “we were looking for ways to build healthy relationships with surrounding communities,” said Monica Tuck on behalf of the Wyoming Recreation Foundation. “The Farmer’s Market was an opportunity to tap into the unique network of communities that is We Thrive.”
Starting Friday, June 5, the Farmer’s Market will be held each week during the summer months at the corner of Reading and E. Vine St., and Wyoming residents are encouraged to stop in and shop for fresh produce. Seniors and those with health concerns can beat the crowds and shop early at 3:30 pm.
Hamilton County instituted the We Thrive initiative in three communities starting in 2009 to help improve public health, safety, and vitality. Since that time, We Thrive has expanded to impact over 300,000 people in 26 communities, with programs ranging from child chare to emergency preparedness to disease prevention to local beautification projects. The Reading Farmer’s Market is only one of many benefits the area has seen. Other participating communities nearby include Amberley Village, Arlington Heights, Lockland, Evendale, and Woodlawn.
Reading has been involved in We Thrive for the last three years, and the local organizers, Donna Wiggins and City Auditor Sabrina Smith are pleased with the progress they have seen. “We Thrive helps us make our small community even better by finding the resources we need,” said Smith. “We can identify what’s important to our residents and make it happen using our greatest resource: our people.”
The ideas for projects came directly from the residents, including the Farmer’s Market. “It was one of the first things we discussed after joining We Thrive,” said Wiggins, the volunteer Farmer’s Market manager. “Since then we’ve been doing things that are fun that get people involved and give them pride in their community,” including a “Park Passport” that encourages families to explore their town, and “Adopt-A-Pot,” in which families and businesses tend to one of the many public flowerpots.
Both Wiggins and Smith welcome Wyoming’s participation in We Thrive and the Farmer’s Market. “A partnership like this helps us all work from a regional perspective,” said Smith. “Especially at a time like this, it encourages folks to shop here rather than travelling.”
Monica Tuck agrees. “A partnership like this helps us leverage our shops, restaurants, and events to bring much needed business,” she says. “It lets you put your money where your heart is.”
