Volunteers plant to help feed the hungry in Callaway County

Fulton garden project takes root

Volunteers planted more than 100 veggies, fruit and herb plants Saturday, April 23, 2016, in raised garden beds behind Our House in Fulton.
Volunteers planted more than 100 veggies, fruit and herb plants Saturday, April 23, 2016, in raised garden beds behind Our House in Fulton.

Lisa Winkler brought her family members from St. Louis to Fulton on Saturday to help her daughter and others fulfill a dream.

They worked all morning planting more than 100 vegetable, fruit and garden sprouts that will feed hungry people in Callaway County.

“We’re so very proud of her,” Winkler said of her daughter, Brittney Eaton, who teamed up with Greg Newsom, branch manager of United Credit Union, to bring about the new garden behind the homeless shelter Our House. “We had to come here today to be a part of it.”

Newsom said members of the credit union’s Fulton branch raised $1,000 toward the project, which came about through the donations of many.

“We wanted to do it right — and in a way, exceeding what (Our House) was expecting,” he said. “We’re not going to stop with this project. We’re going to continue to use social media and our members to create awareness about homelessness.”

The wooden frames for the raised flower beds were donated by the Callaway County YMCA. They were moved to the new Jefferson Street site by firefighters and credit union members, Newsom said. The composed material in which the plants will take root was donated by Ranvinder Bains of Bluebird Composting of Fulton. Bonnie Plant Farm in California donated the plants.

And people donated their time when they learned of the project.

“I just came out to help,” said Roger Murrell, a Fulton-area resident. “It’s something I believe in. I love doing this kind of work and believe in helping people who need it.”

Sheila Singer and her daughter, Jamie, drove up from Jefferson City to help, too.

“When you get this many people, it goes pretty fast,” she said of the work. “It’s quite an awesome project right here.”

Eaton, who recently became president of the nonprofit organization Because Every Mother Matters, dashed about helping wherever she was needed. She grinned as she watched this dream come to life.

“It’s awesome,” she said.

Her friend Steffanie Cooper, founder of BEMM, also came to support.

“This is absolutely phenomenal to see this community support and all the people who came out,” she said.

Brad Sheppard, executive director of Our House, said the veggies also will go to feed people through other organizations. The budget at Our House, however, is extremely tight, and some overnight housing services may have to be cut unless financial donations can be found.

To learn more about upcoming events or donations, contact Sheppard at 573-642-6065, or go online to: Ourhousecallaway.org.