Jerome Poole has dedicated significant time and effort to supporting the garden by helping maintain its aesthetics and productivity.  He is retired from the US Army and experienced injuries in the military that have plagued him in his older years.  Jerome has stated on several occasions the benefits he has personally received back from his volunteering.  The exercise, serenity, fellowship, and personal satisfaction of contributing toward the greater good have helped Jerome enhance his retirement life.  We appreciate his service to our country and dedication to making TNGP successful.

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Ruth Nesteroff, a mental health advocate, joined TNGP as a volunteer to connect with the earth, learn more about gardening, and for the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. Her volunteer journey has been a rewarding and fulfilling adventure, from building community plots to planting, harvesting, and donating to the local senior center. Ruth stated, “The garden has truly been a sanctuary, bringing not only peace but also a profound sense of connection and accomplishment to my life. It’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to something that gives back to the community.”

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Mark Junker is a nine-year-old home school student volunteering once a month in the donation plots.  He has taken a particular interest in making and selling nut butters. Mark helped us plant peanuts this year, and he harvested and took home roughly 800 peanuts for his business. Mark has studied the processing of peanuts and the necessary steps to make peanut butter and other nut butters.  It’s a multi-step process of harvesting, brining, drying, roasting, de-shelling, and grinding the nuts into peanut butter.  Mark has made jars of the end product and has sold them to friends and family and at the Katy Market Days.  TNGP was delighted to be able to contribute to the peanut-growing educational experience of Mark’s endeavors.

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Amy Campbell and her friend, Rhonda Johnstone, both retired teachers and neighbors, joined TNGP last year. They enjoy helping each other with their garden beds, meeting other gardeners, and exchanging gardening tips and ideas. Having a garden bed in the community has enabled them to grow some of their own nourishing produce and foster a spirit of generosity by sharing their bountiful harvest with their neighbors. Amy says it is a delight to observe the progress of the plants each week while also enjoying the birds and flowers in the peace of the beautiful outdoors. Rhonda says that tending a garden helps her appreciate life's wondrous cycle by witnessing tiny seeds' miraculous transformation into flourishing, mature plants. Rhonda and Amy say they feel more connected to their community by participating in TNGP.