If it’s not raining, we’re not training
Wednesday, July 13th, started with the boom of thunder. Staff and volunteers from CCUA, Lowes, United Way, the Mission Continues and the VA came together this dark, stormy morning with a vision of sunny, abundant days ahead.
This spring CCUA and the Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) were selected as the 2016 Lowes’ Heroes Project. The proposal was to build a garden and chicken coop at Patriot Place, Columbia’s newest apartment building for veterans.
Wednesday. The day to build the garden had come, the supplies were ready: lumber, soil, plants, mulch, benches and a chicken coop. Around 5:30am people began to congregate under the picnic shelter at Patriot Place, but then came the rain. The veterans present were reminded of a motto from the Army: “If it’s not raining, we’re not training.” Of course, on the day we’re building a garden at the bottom of an already-muddy hill, shifting winds bring us more precipitation.
As we waited out this shower, some of us were invited into the home of a Patriot Place resident. There are about 25 of these modern one-bedroom apartments on site and they all house a veteran who has experienced homelessness. Our host shared with us some of his experiences while deployed in Afghanistan. He told us of his survivor’s guilt for making it back alive when so many of his buddies didn’t. It is clear that he is struggling, but he is grateful for his new apartment and said that he is looking forward to planting squash in the new garden.
Around 6:30, when the rain let up, our group was eager to get working. It rained a few more times that morning while we were working, although we used these quick showers as natural “water breaks”. Before it was time for lunch, we had built all 12 cedar boxes and most of a fence to surround the chicken coop.
At lunch, the VA social worker assigned to Patriot Place shared with our group how meaningful an activity like gardening is for individuals who have experienced homelessness. After lunch, we focused on moving soil. Unseasonably wet conditions meant that all of the soil had to be delivered 100 yards uphill from the garden. Too muddy for wheelbarrows, the soil was shoveled onto tarps and volunteers drug the wads of dirt downhill. Like Alaskan sled dogs, we mushed through the muck to fill the garden beds with the soil that will nourish the plants, which will in turn, nourish the veterans. The day finished just as abruptly as it began. Just minutes after we moved the last bit of soil: thunder, then wind, then rain.
HUD estimates that every night 47,725 veterans are homeless. This garden will provide these patriots with an opportunity to make their “place” into a home.
Billy Polansky, Executive Director