SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. — 4th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Dormitory Management held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Dorm Community Garden at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, June 8, 2020. The ceremony included a ribbon cutting attended by Col. Brian Montgomery, 4th Fighter Wing vice commander and members of Team Seymour.
Dorm resident Airman Joseph Besko, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron avionics technician said, “The garden can help bring people with common interests together and help younger Airmen with becoming responsible for the growth of something new.”
The garden consists of two large wooden planters that are sectioned off into 12 plots that can be signed out by dorm Airmen. Within their plot, Airmen can grow fruits, vegetables or herbs of their choice. In addition to the Airmen’s involvement, Dorm Management will use four of the plots to grow fruits and vegetables to give to dorm Airmen, help with the upkeep of the garden and ensure that the food grown does not go to waste.
The garden will be accessible to participating dorm members at all times. This will give Airmen that work different shifts access to it as well.
The plan for the garden was imagined by Tech Sgt. Derek DeVos, 4th Civil Engineer Squadron superintendent of Unaccompanied Housing, and Staff Sgt. Stephanie Portell, 4th Civil Engineer Squadron dormitory manager.
“Dorm Management wanted a new way to reach the dorm Airmen,” said Portell. “We want to encourage dorm Airmen to get out of their dorm rooms and to eat healthy. It is a healthy outdoor activity that is in close proximity to their rooms and is a new outlet for our green thumbed Airmen to show their gardening skills and meet like-minded people.”
The Community Dorm Garden is just one project that dorm Airmen can look forward to using. The next project being done will be a pavilion featuring a pergola, fire pit and outdoor furniture.