As many of our readers know, Perry Wellness Center has a very special community partnership with St. John’s Anglican Church in Americus. Over a year ago, members of the church provided acreage on their church grounds for planting, cultivation, and harvesting of seasonal vegetables. Raised garden beds were built, with the help of peers, staff, and church members. Since that time, much of the produce for sale at Rudy’s Happy Patch Market has come from that project.

St. John’s Rector Jim Parker and member and retired judge George Peagler have been instrumental contacts with Perry Wellness Center founder and CEO, as they have worked on building the joint garden management program. In a recent discussion, Judge Peagler cited the importance of the church’s core values in guiding its outreach, as outlined on the church website: 

“Our Core Values are essential beliefs shared with practically all Christian churches. However, we are unique in our particular personality and character as a church. Our values describe the beliefs of our community, as well as help us guide our decision as to how we ‘walk out’ our beliefs.”

During spring, summer, and fall seasons, peers ad staff from the center frequently tend the church gardens. A few weeks ago, the tradition continued as a group headed out to plant, mulch, and stake over 350 tomato plants. Jamie, Jeff, Boone, Stuart, and Kelly (left to right, above) put in some welcome manual labor, then finished the planting off with colorful stakes that represented the bright colors of partnership in Sumter County.

St. John’s Anglican Church is located at 230 Southland Drive, Americus. To learn more about its ministry, visit its informative website.