'Mission accomplished' with Middlesex Community College veterans garden dedication

Oct. 16--MIDDLETOWN -- Students, staff members and their families who frequent the Magic Food Bus mobile pantry at Middlesex Community College will be eating more fresh fruits and vegetables courtesy of a newly dedicated veterans garden on campus.

The former school vehicle was converted into an in-and-out shop for those who need to supplement their groceries or state assistance with nonperishable foodstuff. Its use has ballooned 60 percent since 2015, according to Trenten Wright, the college's coordinator of institutional advancement and a garden overseer.

The former playground for the school's day care facility was transformed into a garden containing 12 four-foot-by-eight-foot garden beds Tuesday afternoon behind Snow Hall. More than $10,000 in funding was received from The Newman's Own Foundation, Rockfall Foundation, MxCC Foundation and a city of Middletown Community Development Block Grant.

"I don't think there is anything like this in the United States at a community college. I would say, as a son of a full bird colonel, the mission was accomplished and going well," Wright said.

#Middletown Councilman Pessina sprinkles sand from 5 Normandy beaches on garden beds to honor veterans following dedication at @MxCC_CT this afternoon. Fruits of the garden will supplement magic food bus pantry on campus. Student hunger big issue on campuses pic.twitter.com/Tg17b7nYX0

-- Cassandra Day (@cassandrasdis) October 15, 2019

Councilman Phil Pessina said the project reminding him of a living classroom he visited five years ago with the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police. The retired Middletown deputy police chief worked for 10 years in the same role at Southern Connecticut State University, which sent him to the D-Day beaches at Normandy.

"I was able to visit the beaches, where our men and women, under such adversity, were able to cross," said Pessina, who places sand from the beaches on all WWII veteran memorials in Middletown, including during various ceremonies.

"The battle was the seed of freedom for us in this nation. What better way to reflect it," Pessina said, than to sprinkle the grains on the fruit and vegetable beds.

He then took a plastic bag with the combined sands from Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword and Gold beaches and sprinkled it over each bed.

The garden proceeds, along with food from the bus, support the college's Operation Academic Support for Incoming Service Members center, which helps veterans in need on campus.

What began with donation of $300 has ballooned to $9,000 due to community contributions, according to Peter Galgano, outreach coordinator, color guard leader and one of the "visionaries" behind the garden's creation.

Each user can choose up to 22 items twice a month from the food bus. Participation has been hearty since its inception.

The Magic Food Bus "we are happy, but also sad to report, is used extensively throughout the year," said college President Steven L. Minkler.

In all, 13.9 percent of Connecticut residents are food insecure and 6 percent are "very food insecure" -- a slight increase from 11.9 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively, in 2009 to 2011, according to End Hunger Connecticut.

Thes food programs are for those who experience food insecurity and "students who just want to have a meal to nourish themselves before nourishing themselves academically in the hallways and buildings of our campus," Minkler said.

"It's a reminder of the incredible service our veterans have given to our country. They have indeed put service above self-interest, true patriots who came back from their tours of duty right here to Middlesex Community College to further their education and try to better their lives," he added.

Since 2012, MxCC has been recognized as a Military Friendly School, which honors the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools in the country doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus

"This college got a gold star, so they're doing something right," said Connecticut State University System Board President Mark E. Ojakian.

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