Why My Zucchini Was Commandeered

So I got the strangest call last evening. It was from a friendly voice, but the questions were, well, odd.

The conversation went something like this:

Her: “Hey, do you still have that giant zucchini you found in the garden?”

Me: “Um. Yes.”

Her: “So what are you planning to do with the zucchini?”

Me: “I was going to bake it into a cake or muffins.”

Her: “Well, I have someone here who wanted to know if she can have it or borrow it.”

Gov. Quinn at the Irving Garden

Turns out the interrogation over the 3-pound zucchini I happened upon in the garden a couple days earlier had to do with a last-minute visit Governor Pat Quinn decided to make to our school today. School officials and parents were scrambling to welcome him to our community and show off a few of the things we’re most (school garden, solar panels) and least (blacktop) proud of.

All this excitement was thrust upon us because Quinn was going to be in town to sign legislation creating the Enhance Physical Education Task Force to explore and improve physical education in the state. Attention to physical fitness isn’t a new platform for Quinn. He created the Walk Across Illinois program, in which residents are challenged to walk 167 miles in a year, to promote better health for all. So after signing the legislation at Rehm Park (and handing one of the official signing pens to my son), Quinn decided to walk to Irving and check out our school.

Principal Hodge talks to Gov. Quinn about Schoolyard Project.

About 60 people joined him on the walk, mostly folks from the Irving community. Once at the school, he stopped for a photo opp in front of windows decorated to welcome him, then headed to the garden where there was an Irving Schoolyard Project display and where the Girl Scouts had been busy helping assemble welcome baskets featuring our garden’s bounty.

The zucchini stole the show. Seriously. The first thing he did was pick up the zucchini and tell everyone, “This is three pounds.”

Signing legislation at Rehm Park.

I was stunned. How did he know? Was he briefed? Was it a good guess? Surely he doesn’t read my blog where I noted the size and weight.

Come to find out that my son had done the briefing on the walk over. So funny. I’ll never forget it.

What a great introduction to state politics for the kids and a fantastic opportunity for our school leaders to present plans for an extreme makeover of the barren blacktop.