Garden brings
youths together

By Icess Fernandez
The (Shreveport) Times

Javandolyn Warren's small hands and shoes were caked with dirt Thursday morning.

The 10-year-old girl planted two watermelon seeds in the 2700 block of Darien Street and couldn't have been happier.

"It's fun because I've never got to plant out here before."

More than 100 children planted vegetables in an empty lot that eventually will become a community garden in Shreveport's Queensborough area. The activity was sponsored by Grace Community United Methodist Church and Community Renewal International.

One year in the making, the event brought together youths from the nearby Friendship House and the church's Super Servants summer camp. The garden was one in a week of events.

"We worked all year getting it prepared for today," said Sabrina Henderson, children's community coordinator. "My hope is that the community will come together and help me with the upkeep. It's not a one person thing. It's a community garden."

So far, there have been some positive responses from neighbors, Henderson said. Residents who don't typically leave their homes came and greeted Henderson as she prepared the lot a couple of weeks ago. Another resident from across the street offered her garden hose to water the plants.

On Thursday, the children planted a variety of foods including, squash, peas and fig trees. Before digging in the dirt, the kids prepared by picking up rocks and weeds. After sorting into teams, adults and youths got to work with small shovels and gardening gloves.

"Take a seed and put it in the bottom of your hole," said one team's adult leader.

"Don't dig it too deep," said another.

Sneakers, socks, hands and legs were covered in mud. Children laughed and then, almost as soon as it began, they were done - 45 minutes later.

"My mother is going to kill me," 6-year-old Deshaun Stacy said when he looked down at his muddied shoes.

Sydney Mickles, 10, said she had fun on her first time planting. "It was fun because when you're done you get to eat it."

Kristy Sumlin, director of children's ministry at Grace Community United Methodist, said Thursday's activity was an opportunity for children from different neighborhoods to socialize.

"Even if you come from different neighborhoods, they have the same interest and that we're not so different. The most important seed we're planting is probably in these kids."

During the week, Javandolyn and Madison Montgomery, 10, found out both like running, even though Javandolyn is the faster runner.

"We just partnered up and started talking," Madison said.