Westville Correctional Helps Fill Food Pantries
Westville, Ind. – Over the last two years offenders tending to gardens on the Westville Correctional Facility (WCF) property have grown more than 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, all of which is donated to food pantries and local churches. During this year's growing season the goal is grow 18,000 pounds of fresh produce consisting of zucchini, cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon, peppers, eggplants, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, acorn, summer and spaghetti squash.
None of this would be possible without the green thumb of Mr. Karl Gast, the Recreation Coordinator at WCF. Each year Indiana Dept. of Correction facilities across Indiana compete for the Great Harvest Award, which WCC has won that past two years. Mr. Gast has every intention of making the 2020 growing season a three-pete year for WCF. And the harvest will be donated to a host of worthy beneficiaries. Past recipients have included such organizations as Hanna food pantry, LaPorte Salvation Army, Center Township Trustee, Good Shepherd Food Pantry, The Door Church in LaPorte, and the Housing Opportunity in Valparaiso.
To meet - and maybe exceed this year's goal - Karl gets a head start on the growing season. He carefully plants and nurtures thousands of seedlings with assistance from offenders who care for the crops through the growing season. This extra effort, no doubt, plays a huge roll in the overall success of the half dozen plus huge gardens located in each of the complexes across the WCF grounds.
Warden Galipeau commented "It is the selfless acts like these that led to Mr. Gast being nominated and selected for the facilities Ambassador of the Quarter Award." He continued, "The team effort of staff and the dozens of offenders who tend the crops is something to truly be proud of".
Karl Gast Tendin Crops at a Westville Correctional Facility Greenhouse
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