Photo By Ericka Gillespie | Command Sgt. Maj. Nickea Harris, the Garrison CSM, hands her challenge coin to Kendall...... read more read more
FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. — A planned community garden on post will symbolize the renewal of the partnership between the installation and a community partner.
In honor of Agriculture Day, a diverse group of volunteers from Fort Gregg-Adams attended the Virginia State University Agriculture Festival Mar. 18. The event, which celebrated agriculture and sustainable farming, also marked the beginning of a new partnership between VSU’s Agriculture Department and Fort Gregg-Adams.
The attendees included U.S. Army Garrison Fort Gregg-Adams Command Sgt. Maj. Nickea Harris, representatives from the Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC), Gold Star mothers, the Family Support Center and Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (B.O.S.S.).
They met with key leaders from VSU to discuss building a community garden on post and the potential impact it would have. The two organizations plan to work together in the future, aiming to boost resilience and promote healthy living by encouraging individuals to harvest their own fruits and vegetables. This, in turn, boosts Soldier resilience and readiness.
“This will not only benefit our Soldiers, but also our local community by fostering a stronger partnership between Fort Gregg-Adams and Virginia State University,” Harris said.
VSU, located just a short drive from the installation, is known for these kinds of agricultural research and community outreach programs. The university’s Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences will play a key role in the garden’s development, providing expertise, resources and student volunteers to help with planting and maintenance.
“We believe this community garden will provide many benefits,” said Carmelita Torres. “It will provide a healthy way of eating by allowing individuals to harvest their own fruits and vegetables, truly from farm to table.”
In addition to promoting healthy eating, the community garden will also serve as a key resource for life skills development for the more than 70,000 trainees who come to Fort Gregg-Adams each year for Advanced Individual Training.
“The community garden represents more than just a place to grow food. This initiative will teach our young Soldiers valuable lessons in responsibility, teamwork, self-sufficiency and the importance of a healthy lifestyle,” Harris said.
The community garden also will offer opportunities for Soldiers to engage in volunteerism, cultivate teamwork, and practice healthy living which are all vital components of mission readiness. And they can engage with university students and local agricultural experts while developing skills that they can apply both in the garden and in their daily lives.
The garden is expected to begin construction late summer of this year, with further development planned in the coming months.
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2025 16:20 |
| Story ID: | 493256 |
| Location: | FORT GREGG-ADAMS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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