W
hen the Columbus Crew asked Davey's
Columbus East CLS branch to take the
lead on rehabbing a local community garden
prior to the U.S./Mexico World Cup soccer
qualifier—an event that draws thousands—
Davey's crew, of course, agreed.
The garden is the first of four that the
Greater Linden Garden Community wants to
develop. The food community members grow
will help feed low income families.
Production Manager Nick Serdy took the
lead on the project, which required the Davey
crew to work the week before other volunteers
arrived for the day of service.
Davey cleared debris, delivered woodchips
and topsoil, built pads for the greenhouse and
toolshed, built the toolshed and dug holes for
fence posts. "The overall volume of things that
needed to be done wouldn't have been possible
in the limited time the volunteers were there,"
Serdy explains. "We made sure things that
needed done with machinery were done before
volunteers arrived to enhance the safety of
the entire project."
When the 30 to 40 volunteers were on site
for two to three hours, they built six planter
boxes, filled them with soil, put up a pergola
on the patio and swings, and then planted 90
perennials, as well as six fruit trees.
"It's nice to be able to give back to the
community," Serdy says. "We're close to the
location of the garden in the Linden area."
Branch Manager Bob Klein seconds Serdy's
desire to give back to the area: "We enjoyed
being able to rehab a community garden that
will be able to help those living here."
Klein says Davey is dedicated to providing
woodchips when his branch receives requests,
and he hopes to continue to be involved with
the community's future garden development.
Growing a Community Garden
in the Heart of Ohio
Crewmembers from Davey's Columbus
East CLS branch help construct a fence.
Ryan Orr plants a tree in the
community garden.
The Davey team and other volunteers
take a photo together during the
community garden project.
Left: Davey's Columbus
East CLS volunteers
pose for a group photo
at the community
garden site. Pictured
from left to right: Tanya
Fisher, Ryan Orr, Jason
Bassler, Bob Klein,
Marty Thivener, Dan
Griest and Nick Serdy.
12 | January/February 2014
