"Garner Grows Urban Community Garden" Struggles as Garner Grows
Republished. New petition push by local community. Garner Grows' joy of having sowed and harvested for more than a decade has been marred by the news the garden is now homeless; its deliveries to Garner Area Ministries halted.
BY PATRICK O'NEILL
Republished from December 2020 to highlight a new petition to support community gardens in Garner.
Whenever I stop by Garner Area Ministries backdoor food pantry to drop off a donation, I grab the clipboard hanging on the wall to jot down what I have brought. On that clipboard list are many groups, including local churches. But only one group comes so often that they use a return address label to note their donation of fresh produce.
And I mean "fresh." That group is the Garner Grows Community Garden, which harvests fresh produce all year long, kindly sharing their bounty with families that are food insecure during this year of pandemic and general economic hardship. As 2020 winds down, the Garner Grows group of about 20 member gardeners is celebrating 10 years of communal gardening in Garner, our town's only community garden.
After More Than a Decade…Now Homeless
However, Garner Grows' joy of having sowed and harvested for more than a decade has been marred by the news the garden is now homeless; its deliveries to Garner Area Ministries halted. Last summer, as a result of a zoning misunderstanding between Garner Grows and the Town of Garner, the community garden, which sat on about 2 acres of land on the property of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church on Vandora Springs Rd., had to pull up its stakes.
Instead of planning fall and winter gardens, the Garner Grows members had to uproot hundreds of plants, bushes and trees, and relocate all of its equipment to a temporary site while the garden members look for a new parcel of land to host the operation.
Garner Grows Gives
Garner Grows longtime member and co-leader Tammy Kennedy said from last summer's harvest "we donated more than 690 pounds of food to the Garner Area Ministries foodbank, so we are quite literally feeding those in need, which has always been a core part of our mission."
Like the name - Garner Grows - the community garden is part of a town that is also growing ... and growing -- at warp speed. Kennedy says the community garden has benefitted from having two sites during its history that have been close to the heart of Garner and in full public view to passersby. Maggie Tubilleja founded Garner Grows in the spring of 2010 on a 1.5-acre site that fronted Highway 70 about a mile from downtown Garner. Tubilleja said she started the garden as a way to make friends and it blossomed from there.
"When I started the garden, I was the mother of two young children and had only lived in Garner for a couple of years, Tubilleja said via email. "I didn’t have much of a support system or friend group. I enjoyed growing food for my little family, but had trouble with motivation, especially in July and August!
"Community gardening gives my family a way to combine nourishment for our bodies with nourishment for our souls. We have grown so much since those early days, not so much in numbers as in relationships and commitment to each other and knowledge of gardening techniques and processes. It has been a wild ride. "
The St. Christopher's site was also high visibility, fronting Vandora Springs Rd.
By 2017 Garner Grows had become a full-fledged community garden in the heart of Garner.
A Jewel for Garner
More development in Garner, however, means less open spaces where Garner Grows might be able to find a new home. Kennedy says high visibility gives more public recognition to the garden, and also attracts interest in the garden, bringing in new members.
Kennedy, a mother of two adult children and a grandmother of one, is a bubbly, articulate advocate of Garner Grows. She says the garden has been "a jewel for Garner."
"The Garner Grows Urban Community Garden benefits the community in many ways," she said. "A well run community garden is breathtakingly beautiful and an inspiration. Community gardens are a sign of a progressive, forward-thinking town, and we love being in Garner and representing it as its sole community garden. We get compliments all the time from people walking past about how much they enjoy seeing the progress of the garden throughout the year and the beautiful plants.
"We engage with as many folks as we can who walk past - which is a form of a community watch and spreads good will. ... The flowers and trees we plant have beautiful forms and blooms. We strive to have something going at all times of the year, but for them to also be useful in some other way.
We don’t spray with toxic chemicals; rather keeping everything in balance with hand methods or organic substances. The blooms and our careful stewardship benefits pollinators, both bees, which we keep, but also butterflies and other insects as well as seed-eating birds. The insects in turn feed birds, bats, reptiles and other important native animals, providing a place to live and thrive. We’ve planted a good amount of milkweed, and hope to eventually be listed as a monarch butterfly way station, to help this threatened species.
Educating and Nourishing
"Too many people have no idea where food comes from and how it works, especially children. Watching a light go off when someone tries something straight from a plant for the first time is incredible. We have had so much positive feedback since we located to St Christopher's, and it kept us wanting to constantly do more."
2019: Garner Grows second place market produce booth in the horticulture department at the state fair.
Kennedy said the garden has about 30 members, about 20 or so are active. "There’s always a percentage that join to support us financially," Kennedy said.
How much food is produced "is a hard question," Kennedy said. "We don’t measure or weigh it, but it’s enough that on most workdays volunteers leave with a basket full or half full of food, though sometimes it’s much greater.
"There are lulls when there’s not much to harvest, but we try to minimize that. Most workdays have between six and 15 volunteers. We work three days a week, usually 2-3 hours a work session, with three leaders each having one day to lead. It’s open to anyone who wants to join, and is $30 a year, per household. We keep the costs low because we never want money to be a barrier to getting fresh food, and we do offer scholarships to those who can’t afford the membership fee. We operate on a share the work, share the harvest model; splitting what we harvest on any given workday among those who worked that day.
"Direct benefits to our gardeners include delicious food, friendship, fellowship and free healthy exercise in the fresh air."
Healthy Food & Healthy Minds
On a more esoteric note, Kennedy and some of her cohorts elevate gardening to a mystical undertaking that inspires a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, assurance and fascination.
Says Kennedy: "It has been discovered that there is a natural compound in the soil that acts as an antidepressant - powerful stuff in our age of turmoil, and directly helping with mental health issues."
Kennedy said her involvement with the garden kept her stable as the coronavirus hit hard.
"I really believe I would have fallen into a deep depression this spring had I not had the garden to come to, lead, work in and commune with other people I dearly care for in a safe manner," Kennedy said. "I was nearly clinically depressed as it was. I’m moderately high risk and as such I only went to the garden and nowhere else.
So, it has quite literally been my lifeline this year. In fact, several of us are high risk and have mostly only had this as an outlet, and I know we all feel the same way about it. This year has brought so many horrible things to be sad, angry and distressed about and at the garden I felt like I was making a difference in some small way. Even if it was just to bring a smile to a passerby’s face when they saw a flower or a smile."
“The garden has been a beacon of hope, a sanctuary and a respite from the divisive darkness of this world for me and my family.”
Garner Grows member, Jessica Jordan, a mother of three young sons, said gardening has a positive impact on her mental health.
"My mental wellness is immeasurably boosted every time I go hang at the garden, get my hands dirty, learn about plants, enjoy being part of the community, try new foods," she said. "And that’s on top of the benefit of all the produce we bring home."
Garner Grows member Danielle Ditenhafer said her involvement with the garden has given her hope in the midst of great despair.
"When I reached out to inquire about becoming a member of the garden, I was at a point where I was contemplating my death daily," Ditenhafer wrote in an email. "My first work day at the garden was Saturday January 7, 2017.
I will always remember that day because when I came home, my spirits were so lifted; my husband was astounded at my happiness and cried happy tears with me that I had found a place to belong, connect, and put down roots (emotionally, physically and spiritually)!
This was the first day of me taking steps to manage a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder... The garden has been a beacon of hope, a sanctuary and a respite from the divisive darkness of this world for me and my family. I know that several other members feel the same way."
“In these COVID times it has been an invaluable outdoor place to gather and commune when we have been confined to our homes."
Garner Grows member Martin Petherbridge has lived in Garner for 28 years. He began volunteering at Garner Grows in 2019.
"I had suffered an injury early that year and needed an outlet to get me through rehabilitation and working in the gardens was an ideal fit,"
Petherbridge wrote. "What a journey it has been. A year later and I am still amazed at the enormous positive energy that this organization brings to the neighborhood, and the contribution it makes to the larger Garner community. And in these COVID times it has been an invaluable outdoor place to gather and commune when we have been confined to our homes."
Kennedy said Garner Grows offers "direct benefits to our gardeners include delicious food, friendship, fellowship, and free, healthy exercise in the fresh air."
The Community Speaks
Below are additional email comments some of the Garner Grows gardeners and others shared with The Garner News:
"Garner Grows is a standard and inspiration for my own garden, and I love walking through and driving by and seeing the different stages of growing fruits, veggies and herbs in the community garden. I love to follow the timing of plantings in my own garden. I was part of the garden before my kids over took my schedule with their interests. I loved working in the beautiful garden with all the master gardeners."
- Laura Rogers
"I’m loving the progress of the garden, I see it every am when I deliver the newspapers."
- Donna Kingman
"The garden is promoting healthy lifestyles, such as exercise, plus a big variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables. What I like is that my children learning how everything is growing, that fruits and vegetables are not made in a store where you buy them normally, but you have to work hard to get it, and it’s fun for them."
- Daniela Armbruster
"My daughter loves going to the garden. She gets to see where her food comes from, play with other kids, and do 'heavy work' that is vital for children with sensory challenges (she has oversensitive hearing, which can affect balance). Working in the garden is good for me too, since I get exercise, stress relief, and the satisfaction of better food security."
- Michael Whaley
"For me personally, I've received stress relief, camaraderie and so so much gardening knowledge that I never had before. For the community: we live in a world where people are very removed from their food sources. Not only do they not know how much effort, water, etc., go into producing their food, a lot of times they don’t even know what grows on trees or what grows in the ground. Even if they don’t join us, just walking or driving by they get exposed to how food is produced."
- June Hanson
Meals and A Mission
The Garner Grows Community Garden Statement of Purpose (below) gives a broad overview of the project:
"Garner Grows Community Garden is a communal space that provides access to land, education and resources to learn and grow food in an environmentally sustainable manner. We created a local food system where we are able to produce nutritious food with affordable annual dues. This allows members (novice or expert) to grow produce and flowers, as well as their gardening skills. The garden also promotes a positive and sustainable environment for residents or neighbors to work together.
The garden may also function as a living laboratory for the students of Garner area schools and a model of sustainable practices at the community level. The garden operates through shared garden plots. Gardening with a group allows for a larger variety and yield. Specific vegetables and layout are designed each year depending on share the harvest members and may alter from year to year. All members participate in planting and maintenance of shared garden plots and overall garden infrastructure. All gardening tasks and harvests are shared equally. As part of this garden membership we have a goal of approximately 10 percent of the food to be donated through the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s plant a row program."
The Future?
Garner Grows member Jackie Parker moved to Garner in 2018. She said the garden "has been a tremendous resource" to the community. She, like the other members, hopes Garner Grows will find a new home in another residential site where people can really appreciate it.
A neighborhood site near downtown Garner would provide "older members and those living alone with the opportunity to connect with others while working on a shared goal," Parker said. "I have seen it lift spirits and have experienced it, myself. Being able to walk up the road to the garden, particularly during moments of heightened anxiety (and especially during the pandemic) has been a saving grace. Invariably, once I’ve pulled some weeds, harvested some greens, and planted something new, I feel the therapeutic effects.
" ... My daughter has learned so much about how to grow food, has expanded her palate, and has really come out of her shell and bonded with other garden members, all of whom have been happy to teach her. Having a communal garden, where those with expertise can share with those of us who are still learning, has been such a gift."
For more information about the Garner Grows Community Garden, go to: garnergrows.com and/or garnergrows@gmail.com.
Garner Police Department Blood Drive Set for May 12th
Make a difference in someone's life--sign up to donate blood next Wednesday (May 12) at a blood drive hosted by the Garner Police Department at 912 7th Ave. Hours are 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Make a difference in someone's life--sign up to donate blood next Wednesday (May 12) at a blood drive hosted by the Garner Police Department at 912 7th Ave. Hours are 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Scan the code below and search for sponsor code 57GP to make your appointment.
Donors will receive a $20 gift card and free T-shirt.
Quick reminders for those participating:
A photo ID is required.
A facial mask is required.
Please eat before your donation.
The health questionnaire is at https://thebloodconnection.org/complete-your-health-history-questionnaire-online/
It can be completed on the day of the event.
Garner's 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration Video
We hope you can join us for the Garner community's 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration, to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We hope you can join us for the Garner community's 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration, to be held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The video premiers Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. This year, members of the community discuss how the impact of Dr. King's vision and work can be seen in Garner today.
The video celebration link is at https://youtu.be/eWCjNeQN46Q
Additional highlights of the program include:
Greetings from Garner Mayor Ken Marshburn and Congresswoman Deborah Ross
A tribute to Helen Phillips and former Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams
A brief explanation of the mission and work of the Town's newly formed Juneteenth Committee
Dwight Rodgers' powerful re-enactment of a portion of King's "I Have a Dream" speech
The program also will be broadcast on GTV11 (Spectrum channel 11) at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sunday and 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday.
Here is link to the full roundtable discussion that's featured in the MLK Celebration video:
https://www.facebook.com/melany.caldwell/videos/10215598971162441
Special thanks to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration Committee, Garner Concerned Citizens United, Rep. Deborah Ross and staff, Mayor Ken Marshburn, Antoine and Melany A. Paden, the Rev. James Clanton, Elaine Jenkins, Mon Peng Yueh and Town staff for making this virtual celebration possible.
Take care. Stay safe.
Three Garner Senior High School Graduates Begin Official Alumni Association
Amid the challenges that 2020 brought, three local Garner Senior High School graduates organized an official alumni organization to bring support and camaraderie to their fellow Trojans, Garner High School Alumni Association, or GHAA.
Amid the challenges that 2020 brought, three local Garner Senior High School graduates organized an official alumni organization to bring support and camaraderie to their fellow Trojans, Garner High School Alumni Association, or GHAA.
“This organization is for graduates, rising graduates, those who have attended, and current and former employees of Garner Magnet High School, formerly known as Garner Senior High School,” said Toni LaTressa Wade, GHAA President.
“A beloved teacher passed away in 2020, and what began as a desire to begin a scholarship in their name has grown into a budding organization with the many talents of a very diverse group of graduating years, professional skill sets and a common desire to keep the spirit of the Garner Trojans alive in an official capacity,” said Rachel Kincaid, GHAA Secretary.
GHAA will be offering several virtual networking and social events in the beginning of 2021, with the goal of funding the first scholarship and eventually offering live, in-person events later into 2021. GHAA is building membership and local alumni business sponsors to fund the first scholarship and Trojan emergency fund.
For more information, please visit GarnerAlumni.org.
This is a Press Release
"Garner Grows Urban Community Garden" Struggles as Garner Grows
Republished. New petition push by local community. Garner Grows' joy of having sowed and harvested for more than a decade has been marred by the news the garden is now homeless; its deliveries to Garner Area Ministries halted.
BY PATRICK O'NEILL
Republished from December 2020 to highlight a new petition to support community gardens in Garner.
Whenever I stop by Garner Area Ministries backdoor food pantry to drop off a donation, I grab the clipboard hanging on the wall to jot down what I have brought. On that clipboard list are many groups, including local churches. But only one group comes so often that they use a return address label to note their donation of fresh produce.
And I mean "fresh." That group is the Garner Grows Community Garden, which harvests fresh produce all year long, kindly sharing their bounty with families that are food insecure during this year of pandemic and general economic hardship. As 2020 winds down, the Garner Grows group of about 20 member gardeners is celebrating 10 years of communal gardening in Garner, our town's only community garden.
After More Than a Decade…Now Homeless
However, Garner Grows' joy of having sowed and harvested for more than a decade has been marred by the news the garden is now homeless; its deliveries to Garner Area Ministries halted. Last summer, as a result of a zoning misunderstanding between Garner Grows and the Town of Garner, the community garden, which sat on about 2 acres of land on the property of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church on Vandora Springs Rd., had to pull up its stakes.
Instead of planning fall and winter gardens, the Garner Grows members had to uproot hundreds of plants, bushes and trees, and relocate all of its equipment to a temporary site while the garden members look for a new parcel of land to host the operation.
Garner Grows Gives
Garner Grows longtime member and co-leader Tammy Kennedy said from last summer's harvest "we donated more than 690 pounds of food to the Garner Area Ministries foodbank, so we are quite literally feeding those in need, which has always been a core part of our mission."
Like the name - Garner Grows - the community garden is part of a town that is also growing ... and growing -- at warp speed. Kennedy says the community garden has benefitted from having two sites during its history that have been close to the heart of Garner and in full public view to passersby. Maggie Tubilleja founded Garner Grows in the spring of 2010 on a 1.5-acre site that fronted Highway 70 about a mile from downtown Garner. Tubilleja said she started the garden as a way to make friends and it blossomed from there.
"When I started the garden, I was the mother of two young children and had only lived in Garner for a couple of years, Tubilleja said via email. "I didn’t have much of a support system or friend group. I enjoyed growing food for my little family, but had trouble with motivation, especially in July and August!
"Community gardening gives my family a way to combine nourishment for our bodies with nourishment for our souls. We have grown so much since those early days, not so much in numbers as in relationships and commitment to each other and knowledge of gardening techniques and processes. It has been a wild ride. "
The St. Christopher's site was also high visibility, fronting Vandora Springs Rd.
By 2017 Garner Grows had become a full-fledged community garden in the heart of Garner.
A Jewel for Garner
More development in Garner, however, means less open spaces where Garner Grows might be able to find a new home. Kennedy says high visibility gives more public recognition to the garden, and also attracts interest in the garden, bringing in new members.
Kennedy, a mother of two adult children and a grandmother of one, is a bubbly, articulate advocate of Garner Grows. She says the garden has been "a jewel for Garner."
"The Garner Grows Urban Community Garden benefits the community in many ways," she said. "A well run community garden is breathtakingly beautiful and an inspiration. Community gardens are a sign of a progressive, forward-thinking town, and we love being in Garner and representing it as its sole community garden. We get compliments all the time from people walking past about how much they enjoy seeing the progress of the garden throughout the year and the beautiful plants.
"We engage with as many folks as we can who walk past - which is a form of a community watch and spreads good will. ... The flowers and trees we plant have beautiful forms and blooms. We strive to have something going at all times of the year, but for them to also be useful in some other way.
We don’t spray with toxic chemicals; rather keeping everything in balance with hand methods or organic substances. The blooms and our careful stewardship benefits pollinators, both bees, which we keep, but also butterflies and other insects as well as seed-eating birds. The insects in turn feed birds, bats, reptiles and other important native animals, providing a place to live and thrive. We’ve planted a good amount of milkweed, and hope to eventually be listed as a monarch butterfly way station, to help this threatened species.
Educating and Nourishing
"Too many people have no idea where food comes from and how it works, especially children. Watching a light go off when someone tries something straight from a plant for the first time is incredible. We have had so much positive feedback since we located to St Christopher's, and it kept us wanting to constantly do more."
2019: Garner Grows second place market produce booth in the horticulture department at the state fair.
Kennedy said the garden has about 30 members, about 20 or so are active. "There’s always a percentage that join to support us financially," Kennedy said.
How much food is produced "is a hard question," Kennedy said. "We don’t measure or weigh it, but it’s enough that on most workdays volunteers leave with a basket full or half full of food, though sometimes it’s much greater.
"There are lulls when there’s not much to harvest, but we try to minimize that. Most workdays have between six and 15 volunteers. We work three days a week, usually 2-3 hours a work session, with three leaders each having one day to lead. It’s open to anyone who wants to join, and is $30 a year, per household. We keep the costs low because we never want money to be a barrier to getting fresh food, and we do offer scholarships to those who can’t afford the membership fee. We operate on a share the work, share the harvest model; splitting what we harvest on any given workday among those who worked that day.
"Direct benefits to our gardeners include delicious food, friendship, fellowship and free healthy exercise in the fresh air."
Healthy Food & Healthy Minds
On a more esoteric note, Kennedy and some of her cohorts elevate gardening to a mystical undertaking that inspires a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, assurance and fascination.
Says Kennedy: "It has been discovered that there is a natural compound in the soil that acts as an antidepressant - powerful stuff in our age of turmoil, and directly helping with mental health issues."
Kennedy said her involvement with the garden kept her stable as the coronavirus hit hard.
"I really believe I would have fallen into a deep depression this spring had I not had the garden to come to, lead, work in and commune with other people I dearly care for in a safe manner," Kennedy said. "I was nearly clinically depressed as it was. I’m moderately high risk and as such I only went to the garden and nowhere else.
So, it has quite literally been my lifeline this year. In fact, several of us are high risk and have mostly only had this as an outlet, and I know we all feel the same way about it. This year has brought so many horrible things to be sad, angry and distressed about and at the garden I felt like I was making a difference in some small way. Even if it was just to bring a smile to a passerby’s face when they saw a flower or a smile."
“The garden has been a beacon of hope, a sanctuary and a respite from the divisive darkness of this world for me and my family.”
Garner Grows member, Jessica Jordan, a mother of three young sons, said gardening has a positive impact on her mental health.
"My mental wellness is immeasurably boosted every time I go hang at the garden, get my hands dirty, learn about plants, enjoy being part of the community, try new foods," she said. "And that’s on top of the benefit of all the produce we bring home."
Garner Grows member Danielle Ditenhafer said her involvement with the garden has given her hope in the midst of great despair.
"When I reached out to inquire about becoming a member of the garden, I was at a point where I was contemplating my death daily," Ditenhafer wrote in an email. "My first work day at the garden was Saturday January 7, 2017.
I will always remember that day because when I came home, my spirits were so lifted; my husband was astounded at my happiness and cried happy tears with me that I had found a place to belong, connect, and put down roots (emotionally, physically and spiritually)!
This was the first day of me taking steps to manage a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder... The garden has been a beacon of hope, a sanctuary and a respite from the divisive darkness of this world for me and my family. I know that several other members feel the same way."
“In these COVID times it has been an invaluable outdoor place to gather and commune when we have been confined to our homes."
Garner Grows member Martin Petherbridge has lived in Garner for 28 years. He began volunteering at Garner Grows in 2019.
"I had suffered an injury early that year and needed an outlet to get me through rehabilitation and working in the gardens was an ideal fit,"
Petherbridge wrote. "What a journey it has been. A year later and I am still amazed at the enormous positive energy that this organization brings to the neighborhood, and the contribution it makes to the larger Garner community. And in these COVID times it has been an invaluable outdoor place to gather and commune when we have been confined to our homes."
Kennedy said Garner Grows offers "direct benefits to our gardeners include delicious food, friendship, fellowship, and free, healthy exercise in the fresh air."
The Community Speaks
Below are additional email comments some of the Garner Grows gardeners and others shared with The Garner News:
"Garner Grows is a standard and inspiration for my own garden, and I love walking through and driving by and seeing the different stages of growing fruits, veggies and herbs in the community garden. I love to follow the timing of plantings in my own garden. I was part of the garden before my kids over took my schedule with their interests. I loved working in the beautiful garden with all the master gardeners."
- Laura Rogers
"I’m loving the progress of the garden, I see it every am when I deliver the newspapers."
- Donna Kingman
"The garden is promoting healthy lifestyles, such as exercise, plus a big variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables. What I like is that my children learning how everything is growing, that fruits and vegetables are not made in a store where you buy them normally, but you have to work hard to get it, and it’s fun for them."
- Daniela Armbruster
"My daughter loves going to the garden. She gets to see where her food comes from, play with other kids, and do 'heavy work' that is vital for children with sensory challenges (she has oversensitive hearing, which can affect balance). Working in the garden is good for me too, since I get exercise, stress relief, and the satisfaction of better food security."
- Michael Whaley
"For me personally, I've received stress relief, camaraderie and so so much gardening knowledge that I never had before. For the community: we live in a world where people are very removed from their food sources. Not only do they not know how much effort, water, etc., go into producing their food, a lot of times they don’t even know what grows on trees or what grows in the ground. Even if they don’t join us, just walking or driving by they get exposed to how food is produced."
- June Hanson
Meals and A Mission
The Garner Grows Community Garden Statement of Purpose (below) gives a broad overview of the project:
"Garner Grows Community Garden is a communal space that provides access to land, education and resources to learn and grow food in an environmentally sustainable manner. We created a local food system where we are able to produce nutritious food with affordable annual dues. This allows members (novice or expert) to grow produce and flowers, as well as their gardening skills. The garden also promotes a positive and sustainable environment for residents or neighbors to work together.
The garden may also function as a living laboratory for the students of Garner area schools and a model of sustainable practices at the community level. The garden operates through shared garden plots. Gardening with a group allows for a larger variety and yield. Specific vegetables and layout are designed each year depending on share the harvest members and may alter from year to year. All members participate in planting and maintenance of shared garden plots and overall garden infrastructure. All gardening tasks and harvests are shared equally. As part of this garden membership we have a goal of approximately 10 percent of the food to be donated through the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s plant a row program."
The Future?
Garner Grows member Jackie Parker moved to Garner in 2018. She said the garden "has been a tremendous resource" to the community. She, like the other members, hopes Garner Grows will find a new home in another residential site where people can really appreciate it.
A neighborhood site near downtown Garner would provide "older members and those living alone with the opportunity to connect with others while working on a shared goal," Parker said. "I have seen it lift spirits and have experienced it, myself. Being able to walk up the road to the garden, particularly during moments of heightened anxiety (and especially during the pandemic) has been a saving grace. Invariably, once I’ve pulled some weeds, harvested some greens, and planted something new, I feel the therapeutic effects.
" ... My daughter has learned so much about how to grow food, has expanded her palate, and has really come out of her shell and bonded with other garden members, all of whom have been happy to teach her. Having a communal garden, where those with expertise can share with those of us who are still learning, has been such a gift."
For more information about the Garner Grows Community Garden, go to: garnergrows.com and/or garnergrows@gmail.com.
Wreaths and Gold Star Tree Return to Lake Benson Park
The Garner Veterans Memorial is decorated with wreaths in honor of the community men who died while in military service and other military men who died in our community while serving. The families of those men are honored with a Gold Star family tree.
The Garner Veterans Memorial is decorated with wreaths in honor of the community men who died while in military service and other military men who died in our community while serving. The families of those men are honored with a Gold Star family tree.
The annual ceremony, which usually includes bagpipes and representatives from each military branch, was cancelled this year because of the pandemic, but the wreaths are up and the Gold Star tree is decorated.
“This is something that we think is important to our community,” said Jeff Hicks, who helped decorate the tree. “We didn’t want to have the ceremony out of an abundance of caution, but we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to honor those who paid the ultimate price.”
The event is sponsored by Show N Tell Ministries.
The Garner Optimist Club donated the tree and the five wreaths and Garner Florist donated the wreath bows. The Town of Garner erected the tree and hung the wreaths on the memorial using specially designed hangers fabricated by the town.
Each man who is listed on the Garner Memorial has his own star. Last year stars were added for the men who died in our community during the Civil War and during World War II. All of the World War II casualties here were airmen.
In addition, Gold Star families from the area have come to past events to hang a star for their loved one.
The wreaths and the tree will remain up until after Christmas.
Garner Main Street Alive with Holiday Events for 2020
Visit Downtown Garner now through the end of 2020 for a dose of holiday cheer and socially-distanced events!
TOWN OF GARNER HOLIDAY EVENTS & THINGS TO DO
Republished from the Downtown Garner Association
Visit Downtown Garner now through the end of 2020 for a dose of holiday cheer! While the holidays look a bit different this year, the Downtown Garner Association invites you to enjoy a safe, socially-distanced walk down Main Street. This go-at-your-own-pace event is open 24/7 – we urge visitors to take necessary safety precautions and avoid crowds due to COVID.
The windows of Garner’s historic business district have been transformed into a winter wonderland with festive holiday artwork. Visit the North Pole, say hi to Santa, carol along to the 12 Days of Christmas, and stop off for a cup of cheer!
While you enjoy the bright Christmas lights, cheery artwork, and jolly green wreaths, take pictures – it’s perfect for family holiday photos and Instagram backdrops! Be sure to tag @DowntownGarner on Facebook and Instagram and use #GarnerChristmasOnMain in your photos – we’ll feature our favorites weekly!
VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Friday, December 4th – 6pm
Join the Town of Garner for our Virtual Christmas Tree Lighting! Mayor Ken Marshburn and Santa come together to light the tree and and bring Christmas cheer!
FAMILY CANDY CANE HUNT
Saturday, December 5th – 12-4pm
In this photo scavenger hunt, families will each be given a poster size candy cane to decorate, along with clues on locations to take it around Town. Groups will return to Avery Street with photo evidence and receive a Holiday Family Craft Kit. Prizes will be given to the most festively dressed team and best decorated candy cane.
CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET
Saturday, December 5th – 1pm
Drive by the Garner Recreation Center on December 5 from 1-3pm to wave and wish at Santa!
Bring your holiday spirit and keep everyone safe by following these rules:
1. Traffic will only enter Main Street from New Rand Road.
2. Please remain in your vehicle.
3. Please do not stop.
GARNER HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
Sunday, December 6, from 2:00 to 4:00
Members of the Historical Society will be at the building beside the Historic Depot on Sunday, December 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 with Christmas ornaments and a few other items for sale. These ornaments were hand made by an artist in Sanford and there are a limited number – don’t miss out! Only cash and check payments will be accepted at this time. For more information, follow the Historical Society on Facebook.
THE HALL SISTERS HOLIDAY CONCERT
Thursday, December 17th – 7pm
While you can’t come to the GPAC, the GPAC is coming to you! We are pleased to continue our GPAC from Home series where we offer a FREE livestream performance featuring some of the best in local and regional talent. Join us on Thursday, December 17th for a holiday performance by The Hall Sisters!
The Wall That Heals Garner Visit Rescheduled for April 29 through May 2, 2021
The Wall That Heals, a travelling ¾-scale replica of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will be coming to Garner’s Lake Benson Park in April 29 through May 2, 2021
The Wall That Heals will visit Garner’s Lake Benson Park on April 29 through May 2, 2021.
The event, hosted by Show N Tell Ministries, brings the preeminent replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the area for Vietnam veterans, family members and other members of the committee.
The Wall will be open 24 hours a day and is free to the public.
The Wall is a 3/4 scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and travels with a mobile education center. It will be on display at the Garner Veterans’ Memorial at 921 Buffaloe Rd, Garner, NC 27529.
» GROUPS: School & youth groups are encouraged to visit. Please schedule a time.
» PLAN YOUR VISIT: Find out about what to expect and where to go.
Find our more at garnerwall.com
Garner Unites in L.O.V.E.- Lifting Our Voices Effectively
July 18th Garner Unites in L.O.V.E.- Lifting Our Voices Effectively Community Vigil.
July 18th Garner Unites in L.O.V.E.- Lifting Our Voices Effectively Community Vigil.
Garner Homegrown July 3rd Video Celebration
A Broadway Fourth features a dozen Broadway performers and special guest Voices of Service.
The virtual concert features the lead performers from shows such as Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Aladdin, Jersey Boys, Rent, The Lion King, Book of Mormon, Chicago, Ragtime, and many others. Voices of Service, all current or retired military personnel, gained national acclaim on America's Got Talent.
We are disappointed that we are unable to have our usual July 3rd event at Lake Benson Park this year, but you can join us remotely for a holiday video celebration as we showcase some of our amazing, homegrown Garner talent.
The impressive lineup includes:
The Hall Sisters
Rozlyn Sorrell
Alli Mauzey and Nicole Parker
TheGifted Arts
Leilani Carr
Ericka Lee
Patrick Clanton
Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road
Christina Maxwell
Aly Cruz-Hernandez
Arlie Kidd
Scotty McCreery
In addition, there will be special greetings from Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines, Mayor Ken Marshburn and other folks who have ties to our community.
You can watch this special show on demand at youtube.com/townofgarner starting 4 p.m. the afternoon of July 3 or, if you're here in Garner, on our government access channel GTV11 (currently Spectrum channel 11 only) on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, July 5 at 9 p.m.
There will also be an aircraft flyover with a promotional banner to kick off this special video presentation on July 3 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the skies over Garner. The map below shows the flight paths of the plane (an exact schedule corresponding to the flight path locations is not available, although the flyover will begin in the U.S. 401/U.S. 70 area, as denoted by the beginning point on Loop 1 below).
Stay safe and stay well.
Courtesy Town of Garner
A Broadway 4th by Show N Tell Ministries
More than a dozen Broadway performers and special guest Voices of Service are participating in a virtual concert to honor the Town of Garner during Independence Day celebrations.
Tim Stevens produced Show N Tell Ministry’s A Broadway Fourth, which will be available on July 1 on Show N Tell Ministry’s YouTube page.
Broadway Comes to Garner
More than a dozen Broadway performers and special guest Voices of Service are participating in a virtual concert to honor the Town of Garner during Independence Day celebrations.
Tim Stevens produced Show N Tell Ministry’s A Broadway Fourth, which will be available on July 1 on Show N Tell Ministry’s YouTube page.
The concert includes leading actors from shows such as Les Misérables, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, Rent, Lion King, Wicked, Book of Mormon, Ragtime, Tootsie, Porgy & Bess, Aladdin, An American in Paris, Jekyll & Hyde and Jersey Boys.
Voices of Service gained national attention while competing on America’s Got Talent. They finished fifth in AGT in 2019 and were invited back for the champions event. The group consists of retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Caleb Green, retired U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ron Henry, U.S. Army Sgt. Major Christal Rheams and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Hannan.
The group came together the Center for American Military Music Opportunities. They sing to highlight military veterans, active duty personnel and veteran affairs.
“As Voices of Service, we decided to come to ‘America’s Got Talent’ because we wanted to spread this message to as many people as possible,” Rheams, an active duty member of the U.S. Army who graduated from Enloe High School in Raleigh and attended UNC-Chapel Hill, told The News & Observer’s Brooke Cain.
After Voices of Service’s performance, AGT judge Heidi Klum said, “Your voices are weapons — weapons of inspiration, weapons of hope. Thank you very much for your service and for being here one more time.”
Voices of Service on Facebook/Twitter
But most of the 45-minute show centers around Broadway.
The performers sent material from all over the country, ranging from Wilmington, N.C., to Los Angeles.
Mark Vogel, an arranger, conductor, accompanist, and record producer, is the host of the show and teamed with David Burnham (Wicked and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) on three songs.
Vogel also produced a 35-singer version of “Put A Little Love in Your Heart” that is in the concert.
Mark Vogel’s Website
Garner’s Manley Pope was a star in Rent and owns several other Broadway and television credits. He is joined by John Arthur Greene, who also grew up in Garner; Adam Jacobs, Broadway’s original Aladdin; Ron Bohmer, in Ragtime, Les Misérables, The Scarlett Pimpernel, Book of Mormon and several other Broadway or touring shows; and others.
Ron Bohmer’s Website
Adam Jacobs’ Website/Instagram/Twitter
John Arthur Green’s Website/Instagram/Twitter/YouTube
Independence Day in the Time of COVID-19
The idea of the virtual concert started when it became apparent that the Town of Garner would not be able to have its annual July 3rd concert at Lake Benson Park, Stevens contacted the town to see if the town was interested in a virtual Broadway concert. He had done a video when the town’s Memorial Day event was cancelled earlier this year.
Garner Homegrown July 3rd Video Celebration
The town eventually decided to feature hometown talent in its Homegrown Concert, which will debut on July 3rd. Stevens gave the town some of the material that he had collected, including a performance by Scotty McCreery.
Stevens still had enough material for another full show.
“We won’t have the North Carolina Symphony and fireworks, but our community will be able to get close to two hours of entertainment made especially for us,” Stevens said.
For more information contact Tim Stevens, 919-812-5711
Garner Magnet High School Graduation and Parade
“I’m just really happy they were able to find a way to celebrate us. This is something none of us saw coming. I’m glad we were able to adapt and make it the best we could,” said Student Body President Andrew Wade, who will be attending Chapel Hill in the fall.
By Margaret Damghani
The time-honored fanfare, cheers, pictures, handshakes and proud smiles were all present when Garner Magnet High School’s 2020 graduating class walked across the stage on June 9 for their diploma ceremony.
This year, however, the stage was outside, and family members took their photos and video from cars decorated with balloons, signs and words of encouragement. The procession began when graduates were dropped off at the back student entrance of the school, giving them a last opportunity to walk the hallways, have a professional photo taken and say goodbye to teachers inside, and ended with students getting their official diploma after walking across the stage set up outside of the main entrance of the school.
Celebrating in the time of COVID-19
It may be one of the most unique celebrations the school has seen since it graduated its first class in 1969. Despite the logistical difficulties brought about by the pandemic, the staff and PTSA at Garner Magnet High rose to the challenge of celebrating the 670 students in 2020’s class, not only with the socially distanced walk-across-the-stage, but also with other events spanning several days.
On June 6, the seniors socialized with one another outside, decorated their cars, and celebrated the end of the unusual school year with a parade sponsored by the Town of Garner and the PTSA. Mayor Ken Marshburn, who marshalled the parade, named June 6 as a day to honor and celebrate the Garner Magnet High School Class of 2020 who have “dutifully sacrificed the high points of their senior year for the safety of their community and state,” in an official town proclamation.
“I’m just really happy they were able to find a way to celebrate us. This is something none of us saw coming. I’m glad we were able to adapt and make it the best we could,” said Student Body President Andrew Wade, who will be attending Chapel Hill in the fall.
The seniors also celebrated at a Senior Breakfast on May 29, received a yard sign with their name and picture, and will keep the professional photo taken at the diploma ceremony for free. On June 10, a virtual graduation streamed online which included the graduation speeches and pomp and circumstance.
Traditions on pause but not Community Support
“I’m a big fan of tradition. Of course, it’s not what I would have wanted. But I think they are really getting a lot more than a normal student would get, in terms of graduation. It’s a lot more personal,” said Shalon Maxile, who has two daughters in the graduating class. Maxile is the Senior parent advisor on the PTSA, and said the community has supported the graduates through donations. “People have been absolutely fantastic.”
Several local businesses donated gifts the seniors received at their breakfast. Red Feather Designs donated a handmade wooden sign with each student’s name that will be displayed at the school. A tribute video was also made for the class by GMHS Alumni.
“It’s a shame that it’s ending the way it is because we didn’t get to say goodbye properly, but we will always be remembered,” said graduate Taleigha Chambers.
Donations to the senior class were made by parents of the Class of 2020, Garner Educational Foundation, GMHS PTSA, Hope Community Church, McDonalds, Chick-fil-a, Target, Lowes Foods, Menchies, Jersey Mike's and Beavers Family Dentistry.