Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 27/99) - Members of the Yellowknife Community Gardens Collective are shaking their heads after a senseless act of vandalism and theft occurred at the Kam Lake Road vegetable plot over the weekend.

According to garden site manager, Vera Raschke, a youth -- seen by children who were playing in the area late Saturday afternoon -- scaled the garden fence and made off with the garden's scarecrow that had been erected less than two weeks ago.

When a garden collective member arrived around 1 p.m. the next day, they discovered vegetables in the plot had been randomly uprooted and strewn throughout the garden.

"Some children playing nearby saw a teenager climb over the fence, remove the scarecrow and put it into a red station wagon with a bird on the hood," said Raschke.

Raschke says that the children described the youth as wearing a yellow baseball cap, an Anaheim Mighty Ducks T-shirt, a jersey and Nike running shoes.

"Something like this has happened only once before in the five years that the collective has been running," Raschke said.

"Before, some kids made off with some peas and carrots. At least, we think they ate those.

"This time, however, all kinds of plants were pulled up and left lying around."

Raschke says the stolen scarecrow was worth more to the collective than something to scare away the birds, it also had sentimental value.

"It was made by one of our members, Kay Gould, and her granddaughter Andrea, who was visiting Yellowknife this summer," said Raschke.

"It was first put in Aug. 15 for the Yellowknife garden tour. It had been up for less than two weeks.

"We were going to make other things for the garden, but if they're going to be stolen, why bother?"

The collective is asking the public's assistance in relocating the scarecrow and a reward will be posted upon its return.

"We're disappointed when things like this happen," said Raschke.

"It keeps people from wanting to participate in community projects like this."