VA Suicide Prevention Stand Down Event at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Administration Medical Center in Temple. on September 25, 2019
Overall 630+ veterans came to our tables to receive free plants of their choice along with pots and soil. One hundred and forty 10″ pots, over 90 one gallon pots along with 400+ bags of 1 quart and 1 gallon bags of soil were given with each plant or group of plants adopted by each vet. Members too numerous to list donated plants and pots, purchased some of our herbs and vegetables, donated their time to pot plants, clean and prep the plants before the event and
transport them to the VA.
The Temple Daily Telegram described our efforts at the 7th annual Suicide Stand Down event as follows: “Bell County Master Gardeners were out in full force, behind a table that ran the length of the covered valet parking area at the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Administration Medical Center in Temple.” Twenty-one Master Gardeners worked the event on Wednesday, September 25th from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Members grew and donated over 500 plants ranging in size from 4″ to 5 gallon and the Association purchased an additional 200+ vegetables, herbs and succulents. Many of these were used in the 6 ongoing demos given by various members to 290+ veteran attendees.
