Brighton Anythink Library Adult Services Guide Crystal Falconer said when a package full of hundreds of worms arrived for her at the library last week, some of the staff members weren’t quite as excited about it as she was.

    “About half of them were saying how cool it was, and the other half were pretty disgusted,” she said.

    Why worms? Falconer is learning to compost. She started the group, The Lean and the Green, at the library to promote healthy and green living. The composting will be part of a community garden project the group will work on over the next several months.

    “I’m new to all of this green stuff,” Falconer said. “I’ve been learning so much lately about composting and being able to cut down on your own trash and what can be recycled.”

    The Lean and the Green will offer speakers at the library each month, and group members have the opportunity to get involved in the community by caring for a plot in a community garden. They can also participate in future community events, such as Eco Day coming later this year, and other group events such as trash pickup later this summer.

    “Who would have thought of a library having a plot in a community garden?” Falconer asked. To have a group like this sponsored by a library is part of the revolutionary concept of Anythink Libraries, she said.

    “We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could create a movement that brings the community together, and benefits the community, the environment and the individual and have to be something that you can see the results from?’” she said. “We were noticing a need for something like that. Now it’s growing into a monster, but it’s an awesome monster.”

    The next meeting for the group will be May 1 at 10 a.m. at the library. Tammy Horner will provide information on nutrition and organic foods. The group will be planting beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Denver Street Community gardens at 11th Avenue and Denver Street.

    Falconer encourages community members to come to the library to hear of any of the group’s speakers, or to get involved in caring for the library’s plot in the community garden.

    “It’s kind of like more of a movement,” Falconer said. “For the club itself, you don’t have to do anything special. You can come to only the things that interest you or come to the garden and help one time or as much as you want. There are no expectations.

    “I feel like helping them be a part of a club makes for a greater sense of community,” Falconer added. “You can see that other people are into same things you’re into. It’s fabulous.”

    Falconer is especially excited about the community garden. Anyone of any age can participate in caring for the plot, she said.

    “A lot of people don’t realize community gardens are out there,” she said. “The garden is about having fun and seeing the fruits of your labor.

    “Gardening is a huge thing,” she continued. “If you have not thought about gardening, it’s an amazing thing to see, to see something grow from a seed into a salad. No matter how old you are it’s an amazing thing.”

    Falconer encourages those interested in “greening” themselves or their community to come to hear the speaker May 1, to stop by the community garden plot May 8, or to call her at the library, 303-659-2572.

    “My biggest passion is getting local people that are passionate about these issues,” Falconer said. “I would just love to see more community members come out – anyone with any interest in greening Brighton or bringing health to themselves and to our community.”