You’re listening to Centex Sustains. I’m your host Christine with the Cen-Tex Sustainable Communities Partnership.

Fort Hood Soldiers, Girl Scouts and a Trooper are transforming outdoor spaces at the Montague community garden in West Fort Hood and Thomas Arnold Elementary school garden in Salado. Gardens have emerged in the past year as an integral part of enrichment, building connections outdoors, while providing environmental awareness.

Each garden has a growing number of volunteers who are creating positive change. With the help of the Fort Hood Girl Scouts, the revitalization of the Montague community garden has grown into more helping hands from Family Housing, the Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division and 504th Military Intelligence Brigade.

Cameron Houser, troop leader for Fort Hood Troop 6318, said, “having the community constantly involved helps motivate people and encourages them to get involved. Seeing the garden thrive is beautiful.”

More than 25 volunteers worked side by side last Tuesday on 15 March, pulling weeds, cleaning up debris and removing bushes that did not recover from the last freeze.

Carolyn Meyer, Fort Hood Family Housing Community Services Manager, explained some garden beds are designated for Girl Scout troops and others are available for residents. The goal is to host events, workshops and volunteer opportunities at the garden. Interested individuals can stay up to date on opportunities by signing up at their Fort Hood Family Housing community office or joining the Montague Community Garden Facebook group.

Carolyn said, “the community garden is a place for residents to go to for enjoyment, and for our Soldiers, Families and scouts to grow, nurture, harvest and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Volunteers fill a key role in our event and programs like the community garden.”

By the end of the day, more than 110 hours were volunteered and about 25 bags were filled with grass, weeds and brush. The day’s success was because of the dedicated selfless service of volunteers from the community.

With the continued support of Fort Hood Girl Scouts, Cameron plans to host a planting day on April 2 and add flowers, herbs and pollinator-friendly plants to the Montague community garden.

About 30 miles east of Fort Hood at Thomas Arnold Elementary March 15, Cpt. Miguel Almanzar, 1st Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment and Maj. Kandice Hines, Carl R. Darnall Medical Center, shoveled and spread a trailer load of mulch at the school’s garden. Since last summer, the school’s Adopt-A-School unit, 1/3 CR has spent more than 100 hours helping to restore and revitalize the garden.

Cpt. Almanzar said, “when we got the invitation last summer to join the Thomas Arnold Elementary school garden, many of our Troopers volunteered without hesitation. We are able to make a tangible impact and supporting the students in this project was and still is exactly that.”

When Troopers have been occupied with training and field exercises, Maj. Hines is quick to provide assistance herself and gathering the support of her Soldiers to volunteer in the community. Since 2017, Maj. Hines has worked closely with DPW Environmental and the Cen-Tex Sustainable Communities Partnership, spending her days, evenings and weekends volunteering at school and community events like the Fort Hood Earth Day, FRIENDS Environmental Leadership, GIS Day, America Recycles Day and much more.

Maj Hines said, “volunteering is an opportunity to show there is more to life than just ‘self’ and how one small act of kindness goes a long way. As a leader, I should be present, be available and inspire my Soldiers to chase excellence. If my Soldiers are doing it, then I should be right there with them, point blank, no excuse.”

Cpt. Almanzar and Maj. Hines both emphasized growing, giving and engaging youth and the community is key to making a difference.

“We all are here to serve each other, and when we take our time to serve youth in projects like this one, the impact can be seen even in future generations. As Tiger Squadron, it’s important to us because it is one more way to serve our nation,” Cpt. Almanzar said.

Maj. Hines added, “There is no greater feeling to me personally than having the opportunity to strengthen our ties and help the next generation of environmental stewards.”

To learn more about the Cen-Tex Sustainable Communities Partnership and for local event updates and volunteer opportunities, check out our Facebook page Centex Sustains. Feel free to send questions and topic suggestions for this show to centexsustains@gmail.com. Join us next week on Monday at 6:15 p.m. on KNCT-FM 91.3 to learn more about environmental and sustainable practices.