Marissa Poe
"I want to make everything in the worldaccessible to everyone," states MSU senior Jared Talaga, describing his ambitiousvision for a world of accessibility.
Combining his loveof Urban and Regional Planning with his desire for complete accessibility, Jared designed and built accessible gardening beds in his local community. His design can be used by a great range of abilities. Traditionally gardening,while not impossible, poses many challenges for wheelchair users and those withlimited mobility. Jared designed the bed to be raised three feet off theground with its length eight feet and its width four feet. His placement of poles around theperimeter can also provide a source of balance. This design allowed Jared andother chair users like him to garden without as much back strain.
Jared's internshipat the Allen Neighborhood Center seemed a perfect place for him to test hisdesign. When he told the center about his design, they encouraged him to build abed at the Hunter Park Garden House. With the design and place to buildsecured, Jared needed the funds to see his vision come to life. Jaredsecured two grants: the Michigan Community Service Collision Diversity Inclusion Grant and the Youth Service Day Grant. With a total of $1,000in grants, Jared organized a build day and called for youth volunteers aroundthe community.
The accessible beds are now built and ready to be used by the Allen community. Thestory could have stopped there, but Councilwoman Jessica Yorko (who works as theEnvironmental Justice Coordinator at the Ingham County Health Department) wasso impressed with Jared's work that she asked him if they could expand on hisidea. City Councilwoman Yorko wanted to see Jared's design in multiple gardensacross Lansing. Both Councilwoman Yorko and Jared sought a grant and receivedgrant funding to mainstream his concept across Lansing.
Michigan StateUniversity was also impressed with Jared's efforts and asked to see hisdesigns. They took his designs into consideration for their plans to build new "Hoophouse"at Bailey Hall. The "Hoophouse," set to be finished in 2012, was designed by Deb Kinney of Landscape Architectfor Residental and Hospitality Services. The "Hoophouse" provides theResidential Initatives on the Studies for Environment program (RISE) programstudents, who will live in Bailey Hall, a chance to gain experience working ina garden house. The herbs and produce grown in the house will be used locallyat Brody Square Dining Hall and the Kellogg Center.
When asked abouthow accessible beds will allow him to volunteer more Jared replied, "Iwill volunteer the same amount of time, but it allows me to volunteerdifferently. This allows more people the opportunity to contribute in a waythey may have wanted to, but couldn't before."
Jared gains his perspective on accessibility from his own disabilitybackground. During his senior spring break trip, Jared was in a skiing accidentthat left him unable to walk. Jared learned to live life in a wheelchair andfound that world suddenly seemed filled with obstacles. This could have madehim resentful, but instead he became relentless in pursuit of makingaccessibility his priority. His positive attitude is felt by all that knowhim. Virginia Martz, specialist at the RCPD, noted, "He is motivated and driven to create accessibility for everyone in innovative ways." Jared is living proofthat one person can make a difference and that with determination an idea thatstarted small can make a big impact.