VAN WYCK, S.C. — The town of Van Wyck is hosting an inaugural event that aims to bring its residents closer to nature.
Van Wyck is hosting its first Community Garden Day on April 20 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the town’s community garden, 1207 W. Rebound Road, Van Wyck, near White Oak Ame Zion Church.
The event will feature a number of activities. including free healthy snacks for children, a display of historic specialty gardening vehicles, signups for a free garden plot, and a container fruit tree teaching session at 11 a.m.
Residents can also reserve a garden bed to plant their own seeds in while supplies last.
“We’re trying to reach the community, pull everyone together, and make this an annual event so that we can come together and have the community be reconnected with nature,” said Res Hauck, coordinator for the Van Wyck Community Garden.
Hauck has been involved in gardening since her childhood days growing up in Texas. As a part of three generations of family gardeners, she quickly developed a passion for planting seeds, raising food, and working in numerous gardens.
Her family moved to Van Wyck five years ago and quickly saw a need to bring community members together through nature.
“As a small town, we are growing and we’re trying to reach families in our community that have moved in, but we didn’t have any system of communication except visibility,” Hauck said.
With the collaboration of other community members, Hauck was able to get land donated by White Oak for the garden. Soon after, many residents began to take notice of the new garden in Van Wyck.
“They (people) brought their kids over after church services and got this feeling of well-being and enjoyment after seeing what was going on,” Hauck said.
With the exposure, the garden was able to receive donations to install raised beds, bring in new soil, and get additional plants for the garden plots.
Hauck credits the garden for allowing her to make new connections throughout the community.
“Just this last summer and winter working on this, I have met 10 new families in town. Making 10 new connections is so important to be able to come together like that and it was an awesome experience,” Hauck said. “We’re very fortunate that we have visibility there, but also with the people wanting us to bring this to everybody, based on their own experience working on it.”
The goal of the community garden day is to bring more collaboration among community members with the ideals of gardening. Hauck is hopeful that in the long term, the garden can have more additional beds, grow local food, and provide educational and recreational activities for people.
“Nature is the simplest and beneficial way for us to get together. By growing something, it makes you feel that you’re community-building, but also having a togetherness that nature can only provide,” Hauck said.
