EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT – GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
See how my garden grows.
SCOTT HAINES, W&A’s Director of Landscape Architecture, has turned a personal dream into a reality. This past January he pitched the idea of starting a communal garden to Oconee Presbyterian, his family’s church, and was overwhelmed by the positive response.In June the garden, after hundreds of hours of work by volunteers of all ages, hit a milestone…its first food donation to ACTS (Area Churches Together Serving), a Ministry of Oconee County Churches—6.5 lbs. of squash, 1.5 lbs. of med chili peppers, and a single 2 oz. tomato. By early August, that amount grew to a total of 1000 pounds of produce donated!
Scott Haines with his wife Haylie and two children.
Just under 1/6 of an acre, this garden is an ambitious undertaking.
Scott started the garden in part to give back to the community. Landscape Architect, church elder, husband, father of two, and self-ascribed mediocre gardener, Scott knew that local food banks were always in need of fresh produce, and he saw a chance to turn that need into an opportunity.
“We hope that through this project we can help offer some small bit of relief to local food ministries and possibly strengthen one another in the process.”
A bountiful harvest for the community.
That last part is especially important to Scott. He would like to see the garden initiative grow beyond the Oconee Presbyterian Church community. Many hands make light work, (and good friends, too), and the Oconee Presbyterian Church invites any and all who are interested to join them.
See how my garden grows!
Scott tracks the garden’s production to help in planning future years.
To find out more about how you can help, contact Scott at shaines@waengineering.com.
For more information about the garden and to read Scott’s blog, visit https://helpopcgrow.tumblr.com/.