SALADO, Texas — Fort Hood soldiers and Central Texas third graders met up for a special garden dedication.
When Sgt. Marcus Brown signed up to join the Army he did not think gardening would be a part of the plan, but if you ask any soldier they will tell you it is their duty to serve.
"For the last couple of months, on some Fridays we all got together and pulled weeds, took out the cacti, and did a lot of work gardening and making sure it looked really pretty and really nice," said Brown.
On Friday at Thomas Arnold Elementary in Salado, teachers partnered with the community to provide students with a hands-on educational experience where they learn how to plant, tend, harvest and taste the herbs, fruits and vegetables that they grow.
They also dedicated a memorial garden in honor of Kathi Walrath, a school volunteer who worked tirelessly to support soldiers and students.
"These raised beds were part of her vision to see kids involved with gardening and what that can do for them and our community,” said Melanie Lane, a third-grade teacher at Thomas Arnold Elementary School. “Even though she has passed, we can connect to our past and recognize and respect what she has done for us at Thomas Arnold."
For Sgt. Brown, it exemplified what a community is supposed to be.
"It was a wonderful opportunity. I think a lot of people, myself included, the reason we join is to serve the communities we set out to go to. We got so lucky to be here,” said Brown. “I hope we get to do things like this more often. It was a blessing just to see that."
The Texas Department of Agriculture recognized the Thomas Arnold Elementary school garden as the recipient of a $10,000 grant that will help with restoring the garden.
Keep Salado Beautiful and the Bell County master gardeners helped with planning and plant expertise, and several area landscapers have offered advice on irrigation and amphitheater repair.