Credits

Don Oglesby was the Garden Leader in the original children's garden on America Street and later in the children's garden at the Crisis Ministries Homeless Shelter. His dedication to the Project set an example for all of us. Many times he would take the bus from his house, an hour each way, to make sure a garden was watered and tended. He was always ready to pitch in at other gardens when there was some heavy work to be done or help with picking up loads of compost or other supplies. He liked to laugh, he was always watching out for the kids, and he was a brave man who stood his ground against any threat. Don was a Viet Nam veteran and one of a small group of neighbors who successfully cleared the Charleston East Side sidewalks of drug dealers. And he was equally brave in his long struggle against cancer; that struggle ended in September 2007. It was a privilege to know him and work with him.


Fred Phillips founded the Charleston Area Children's Garden Project, and served as Executive Director from 2000 to 2007. His dream of making neighborhood vacant lots into learning places for kids grew year by year, as more people joined in the work and brought new ideas and approaches. From a single all-volunteer neighborhood garden, it spread to sites across the metro area until hundreds of children now take part each year. He initiated working relationships with civic organizations, government agencies, and businesses and sought out volunteers to help with the gardening and teaching. He developed plans for garden-linked learning sessions, wrote the Children's Garden Handbook, created the cartoon-like Pocket Pages handouts for the kids to take home, and put together the laminated Veggie Wheel panels so that Garden Leaders would have quick access to key information while they were working with the children in the garden. He retired in 2007, but continues to devote time to the Project as a volunteer and Board Member Ex-officio.


In 2000, Jim Rushing brought his kids and his rototiller to the first day of clearing for the first children's garden that we planted. Jim's constant support and encouragement was a key element in the success of the Project, first as a senior faculty member and then as Director of the Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center. Jim initiated our affiliation with Clemson and arranged access to the many resources of the research station: technical assistance, equipment and storage space, guidance in contract and fiscal matters, contacts with prospective donors, and with related work done elsewhere. He was a member of our founding Board until he relocated to Florida after his retirement in December 2007. Jim brought his singular spirit, judgment, and enthusiasm to the Project which all of us remember with gratitude.


In November of 2008, the Charleston Area Children's Garden Project was the recipient of an extremely generous donation of a 1999 Dodge Ram 4-door diesel pick-up truck! The humble and gracious donors are Steve King and his wife, Carol Lancaster. This truck has become our second office and storage shed as well as transportation of tools and materials to 11 gardens across the Charleston Area. We thank you again, AND again, AND again, AND again...