Photo By Staff Sgt. Aaron Rodriguez | From Left, U.S. Army Spc. Elliot Mitchell and Spc. Lawrence Black, 123rd Engineer...... read more read more
Subscribe
Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen working with the East St. Louis Health Department’s COVID-19 immunization program dedicate long hours each day to protect the health of the community’s residents by administering life-saving COVID-19 vaccines.
So what do these troops do in their spare time? At least one group of troops protect the health of the community’s residents, this time by dedicating many honors to the F.R.E.S.H. Community Training Garden in East St. Louis, Illinois.
“I enjoy community work,” said Illinois Army National Guard Spc. Jonnie Sorenson, a small arms artillery repair technician from Creve Core, Illinois. “The community helps with the mission and I wanted to give back. Plus, I get to learn a lot of techniques about gardening.”
In 2010, Elizabeth Patton-Whiteside used her education and agricultural prowess to take a half-acre of untamed overgrowth, in the middle of East St. Louis, and turned it into foothold to fight against the area’s food dessert. Not only did she plan to feed her community with the food grown in this garden, but she built up the location to house classes to teach anyone willing how to plant, grow, harvest, cook and sell produce.
For a few solders from the 123rd Engineer Battalion, Illinois National Guard, this garden became just that - a place to learn and grow.
Illinois Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 William Ellis, the unit’s maintenance warrant officer, is a Murphysboro, Illinois native and a member of the Armed Forces for 19 years. Ellis works as a federal technician in Peoria, Illinois. When Ellis heard about an opportunity to volunteer service, he turned to his soldiers and asked who would want to help.
Sorenson was the first to raise his hand. Sorenson has been in the military for three years. As a traditional guardsman, he spends his civilian time working as a welder with Profab in Morton, IL. When he is free from his work duties, he likes to practice and become more proficient with drawing.
Knowing they would be volunteering their downtime after the week’s long days at the vaccination site, Sorenson and Ellis traveled to the garden to help, not once, but twice. The second time Sorenson volunteered his time to assist with the Garden, his example invoked community spirit in his fellow Soldiers.
Sorenson and Ellis were joined by Spc. Justin Poorman of Robinson, Illinois, quartermaster chemical equipment repair specialist; Spc. Lawrence Black, construction engineer from East St. Louis, Illinois and Spc. Elliot Mitchell, construction engineer from Belleville, Illinois. A few hours into their service, this group form the 123rd Engineering Battalion was met by Chief Master Sgt. Christina Rizzo, the new Command Chief Master Sgt. of the Illinois Air National Guard’s 126th Air Refueling Wing. Together this diverse group of service members assisted Whiteside and her family in planting onions, clipping apple trees, tilling garden beds, and maintaining heavy landscaping.
“I can’t say how glad I am,” Whiteside said, “You guys are here to help me and there are no words for my appreciation.”
Ellis highlighted Sorenson and his service. “For him to volunteer his downtime this early in his career, and after the week we had at the site, it speaks loudly about his character. He is a good Soldier, and I am proud of these guys for stepping up.”
Members of the Illinois National Guard are encouraged to serve outside of the military. It builds the character of our service members and it strengthens the relationship between our Guard members and the citizens they protect.
In Sorenson’s words, “vegetables were not the only things grown today, the community has grown too.”
| Date Taken: | 04.16.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.16.2021 13:47 |
| Story ID: | 394071 |
| Location: | EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 169 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Illinois National Guard Troops Volunteer to Help at East St. Louis Community Garden, by SSgt Aaron Rodriguez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
