U.S. and Canadian Service Members Participate in Community Service Project During San Diego Fleet Week 2016

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Emiline Senn | 160913-N-OR184-091 SAN DIEGO (Sept. 13, 2016) Hull Maintenance Technician 2nd Class Tyler Hast, from Rescue, California., left, and Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class Carmelita Crawford, from Seattle, assigned to San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), dig an irrigation system while participating in a community service project. San Diego Fleet Week offers the public an opportunity to meet Sailors, Marines and members of the Coast Guard and gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the national defense of the United States and freedom of the seas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Emiline L. M. Senn/Released)  

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

09.13.2016

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Emiline Senn 

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

The U.S. and Canadian servicemembers fulfilled a variety of duties to get the Earthlab, an agricultural area near the school, ready for the students to use.

“The U.S. and Canadian service members are digging ditches for irrigation, pulling out stumps and general clean-up of the area for the project,” said Lt. Kendall Taylor, chaplain, USS San Diego. “We have 15 Sailors and Marines from the San Diego here today.”

Groundworks serves the local community by involving students in state-of-the-art science and technology while improving their water conservation.

“We partner with the San Diego Unified School District and University of California San Diego to support the children’s academic improvement,” said Leslie Reynolds, executive director, Groundworks San Diego. “The goal is to inspire the students to study and succeed but also to care deeply about their contributions to the world.”

Groundworks contributes to the local community that surrounds the Earthlab garden.

“At the center, we grow about 10,000 plants a year,” said Reynolds. “The kids will be donating the produce to local families, using it on site for school lunches, and taking the native plants home to start their own gardens.”

This community service project not only helped the local community but also provided service members from the U.S. and Canada an opportunity to work together.

“This community service project shows the partnership that the U.S. Navy and Royal Canadian Navy has in a different way,” said Sub Lt. Konnor Brett, assigned to the HMCS Winnipeg. “Our countries support each other when we are conducting warfare exercises, and this is another way for Canada to show that we are continuing to build on that relationship with the U.S.”

Gunnery Sgt. Tim Tran, from San Diego, assigned to San Diego, was one of the participants of the community service project.

“It’s extremely important help out in the community,” said Tran. “This city has given so much to the Marine Corps by having our base here, so this is a way for me to give back to my own community. I’ve logged numerous hours of community service from the last 10years of being in the Marine Corps. It gives me a sense of pride being able to serve in my hometown on a ship named after it.”

San Diego Fleet Week offers the public an opportunity to meet Sailors, Marines and members of the Coast Guard and gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the national defense of the United States and freedom of the seas.

• Date Taken: 09.13.2016
• Date Posted: 09.13.2016 23:00
• Story ID: 209494
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US