Photo By Lance Cpl. Kelcey Seymour | Members of Kitanakagusuku Village community prepares a plot of soil during a sunflower...... read more read more
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CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – A community garden is created with hard work, a hopeful heart, and a little fun. Soil, sun and water are the simple needs of any plant, but when a community comes together to create a garden, it becomes a work of art.
The Kitanakagusuku Village sunflower garden is one such work of art in the making due to the efforts of local and Marine volunteers.
The garden was originally planted by the village office near the Kitanakagusuku Middle School, but with more visitors going to look at the garden, they relocated to a new plot away from the school. This plot did not produce the sunflowers and the garden was almost cancelled.
“After moving to the new plot, we tried planting it three times, but the flowers did not bloom,” said Kunio Arakaki, mayor of Kitanakagusuku Village. “Last year was our 10th year doing this, thinking it would be the last time. But the young people came and decided to take over the project; hence we decided to open the plot to public.”
Arakaki said that the younger members of the community wanted the sunflowers and the festival that came with their blooms in January. So in an effort to continue this legacy, Kitanakagusuku Village opened the plot to all members to bond and teach through growth.
“We thought on our poor decision of using only a few people from the village office to do the planting and knew this wouldn’t lead us to a bountiful festival,” said Arakaki. “So we thought that by having the communities get involved with this festival, it would bond the community together while also teaching responsibility, the joy of planting and the joy of watching what you plant grew.”
When the opportunity for Marines to also get involved was offered, Single Marine Program reserved two plots for volunteers to grow their own sunflower.
“Being able to work with the community to create the sunflower garden was a really cool experience,” said Pfc. Maddie Jones, a combat graphics specialist with Communication Strategy and Operations, Marine Corps Installations Pacific. “I think that it works to help bring the locals communities and the military closer together and improve our working relationships with each other as well as help give back.”
The planting took place the second week of November. The local and military communities worked the land side-by-side and when January comes it will bring the blooms of that work will blossom.
“We are very happy that U.S. service members came out,” said Arakaki. “The commander of Camp Foster and I had a discussion of us wanting to have more cultural and friendship exchanges. Hence, we’re very excited that service members took part in this event. We would like to thank everyone.”
| Date Taken: | 11.29.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.03.2018 20:20 |
| Story ID: | 301982 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 90 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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