Growing Out of Hunger

The Inaugural Welch Community Dialogue

Featuring Will Allen, CEO, Growing Power Community Food Centre, Milwaukee & Chicago

We are deeply disappointed to inform you that we have had to cancel this program once again, as Will Allen is unable to attend on Tuesday, July 13. Given his ongoing health issues, we are unlikely to reschedule in the near future. If you would like to be on our mailing list in case we do reschedule, please feel free to contact us.

Please find below the message we received from Will Allen:

As I’m sure you recall, I was forced by chronic and progressive pain and inflammation in my knee and hip to cancel a visit to Vancouver in March, and we have both been looking forward to a rescheduled meeting in July. Therefore, it grieves me to have to tell you now that again I will be unable to make the trip.

I had scheduled knee-replacement surgery in late May, but due to complications, that date had to be postponed. However, after a recent, severe episode left me immobilized, my doctors insisted that I undergo the procedure at the end of this month. I will not be able to travel for at least 30 days thereafter.

My office staff has been contacting the various other groups and individuals who were on my calendar for July to cancel and reschedule appointments and interviews, but I felt I owed it to you to send my regrets personally. All my life I have made it a point of pride that I honor commitments, and in fact it is one of the principal points that I make in teaching people to create sustainable food systems. To have had to disappoint you and your group of dedicated good food advocates not just once but now twice is also a disappointment to me.

I do hope that you will understand my predicament and that we can continue to correspond and plan for a meeting in Vancouver as soon as I am recovered and cleared for travel. And in the meantime, as I suggested the last time I wrote, please continue your own good work, keep spreading the word, and above all, please enjoy a productive summer of growing. Perhaps we will be able to share the bounty of a fruitful harvest.