The Rotary Club of Killeen Heights (RCKH) completed their community garden project on June 1, 2019. Funded by the largest DAP Grant awarded ($25,433) in the history of District 5870, the Club worked on the garden for six months; an average of 20 volunteer participants contributed 3-4 hours each during the Club’s designated service days.
The project successfully integrated five of Rotary’s six Areas of Service: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution; Disease prevention and treatment; Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy; and Economic and community development.
In partnership with the Killeen Food Care Center, the Club embarked on an ambitious campaign. RCKH RY 2018-2019 President Nick Rozumny and President-Elect (PE) Bill Webster created a shared vision to develop a community garden at the Food Care Center that would meet many needs in the community. The community garden will:
- Prevent downtown Killeen from becoming a Food Desert
- Support the Killeen Food Care Center by providing fresh vegetables for their customers
- Provide service opportunities for Rotary Clubs and other local organizations
- Serve as a facility for instruction and learning
- Establish an enduring project for RCKH
PE Webster took the lead on the project. Personally contributing over 100 volunteer hours to the effort, Bill coordinated the purchase and delivery of materials and supervised the construction. Beginning with on-site debris and brush removal, Club members began to understand and embrace the potential of the project. Multiple RCKH members participated throughout the preparation and construction periods. The Copperas Cove Rotary Club and Central Texas College Rotoract Club also participated.
The first phase of site preparation was completed in February 2019. The second phase began immediately afterwards with the installation of eight 4x8 planting beds constructed with cinderblocks and filled with limestone aggregate, crushed granite, and topsoil. Crushed granite was used to create a stable path between planting beds. Filling the planting beds became easier with the help of RCKH Rotarian Lisa Griffin’s husband, Shawn Griffin, donating the use of his company’s landscaping equipment to fill the beds and spread the crushed granite.
As part of the project, the Club purchased a garden shed to store gardening equipment donated by Club members. Two rainwater collection barrels were set alongside the building to capture rain for use as the primary water source for the planting beds. Irrigation drip lines were also installed for each garden plot as a backup watering solution. The Club also installed a Little Free Library onsite to provide Food Care Center customers with an opportunity to enhance their literacy skills.
Numerous community organizations volunteered to adopt each of the eight initial planting beds; RCKH subsequently built eight additional beds (for a total of 16) which were also adopted. In April 2019, the Bell County Master Gardeners visited to provide tips, hints, and techniques to the organizations that adopted the beds, and assisted the groups in planting vegetables.
On June 19th, 2019, volunteers harvested the first crop of vegetables – yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, jalapenos, and banana peppers.
Raymond Cockrell, Executive Director of the Killeen Food Care Center, summed up his thoughts on the RCKH community garden project with one word – “Blessed!”
The Rotary Club of Killeen Heights – People of Action Being the Inspiration in our community!
The Rotary Club of Killeen Heights – People of Action Being the Inspiration in our community!