Engaging in local activities is one way GreenStone gives back to places where we work and live. Our employees carry out our passion for community engagement through a variety of activities both as GreenStone representatives and as volunteers – we are pleased to tell their stories here. Watch for upcoming stories of how our employees give back in our Open Fields blog!
It is gardening season, and with that comes all sorts of fresh produce to enjoy for months to come. It is also baseball season, and baseball fans from coast to coast are enjoying another summer filled with hot dogs, homeruns and strikeouts. If you are both a gardener and a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers fan, this is the story for you.
With help from a local FFA chapter and Master Gardeners Association, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers marketing manager, Seth Merrill, organizes a donation garden each year for the past five years benefitting local food banks. This year, produce from the garden is being donated to the St. Joseph’s Food Pantry in Menasha, Wisconsin, which is about 15 minutes away from the ballpark in Appleton, Wisconsin.
“So far this summer, we have donated about 110 pounds of produce to the food pantry,” Seth shared. “The food pantry distributes the produce to local families in need.”
Getting involved in our local communities is an important value to GreenStone team members, which is why the Little Chute branch supports the garden by sponsoring it every year. Staff members from the Little Chute branch also help tend to the garden and harvest the produce throughout the gardening season.
“Working with the Timber Rattlers on the GreenStone Garden allows us to demonstrate the importance and impact of local agriculture,” said Amanda Kroll, a financial services officer in GreenStone’s Little Chute branch. “Providing food to those in need, while working with other organizations and people in the community is a great opportunity to get involved supporting the community and future agricultural leaders, such as the Freedom High School FFA as they help maintain the garden.”
The garden consists of tomatoes, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, watermelon, yellow onions and squash.
“The garden is truly beneficial to everyone involved,” Amanda said. “We are proud to be part of it.”
