The residents at Country Gardens assisted living community in Duluth, Georgia, are enjoying a new community garden thanks to the help of a local boy pursuing his Eagle Scout Rank. Originally reported in the Gwinnett Daily Post, the project was set into motion when Garrett Hinton, a founding member of Troop 608 in Suwanee, responded to the Country Gardens activities director, Debbie Brown’s, call for help with the project.
Completing the Community Garden
In order to become an Eagle Scout, Hinton needed to be in charge of planning, executing, and leading the project. That’s exactly what he did. Twenty members of Troop 608 each worked roughly 4 hours for a total of two weekends of work to complete the garden.
When asked about the project by the Gwinnett Daily, Hinton responded that “It was a little challenging because there was two work areas. So I had to run back and forth. I designated a leader for the site I wasn’t directly working with. I know all of them, we have pretty good team work, so it went well.”
Additionally, the table is accessible to residents using wheelchairs. They can easily roll under the garden table to reach the plants. A variety of plants are now growing in the garden including herbs, squash, tomatoes, and more. In fact, fried green tomatoes have become a regular event at Country Gardens.
Community Impact
The new community garden has had a huge impact on the Country Gardens community. Debbie Brown, activities director, expressed excitement about the project. “Our residents have fully enjoyed watching the whole process from the beginning stages of purely planning to this point of helping to pick the fresh vegetables. This has been a rewarding activity for all. By having these new gardens available to us we have been able to add quite a few new activities in our department.”
Furthermore, Brown notes that many residents at Country Gardens grew up during a time when gardens were a way of life. Bringing that way of life to the community has had a positive impact on its members.
Hinton has completed most of the process to become an Eagle Scout, but is waiting for his Eagle Board Review. After the review is complete, he will officially receive the award. The project cost about $800 to complete, with the residents and staff at Country Gardens contributing roughly $300 while Hinton raised the balance.
Country Gardens is thankful for Hinton’s leadership and commitment to the project. We are excited to share the new addition to our assisted living community. We know our residents will enjoy it for years to come. Learn more about Country Gardens, or a schedule a tour today.