Capital One Invests Sweat Equity in the CKG

Text & photos by Brian Vick, Community Kitchen Garden Coordinator, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

The Capital One team plants peppers.

In May the Lewis Ginter Community Kitchen Garden (CKG) received a significant investment of sweat equity from two separate teams of Capital One associates. On their first trip Capital One associates mulched pathways, prepped beds and planted peppers. Quite a few of these volunteers also contributed sweat equity to the CKG in 2013.

We’re not “all work and no play” in the Community Kitchen Garden.

Part of the Capital One team (Quite a few members had already left to return to their work at Capital One.)

Then a second team of  Capital One volunteers helped with our first harvesting for 2014: 100 percent organic strawberries and lettuce.

We very much appreciate the efforts of these early spring groups of volunteers. The work accomplished at this time of the year builds the foundation for the produce yields during the summer. These two teams from Capital One provided a significant contribution to help meet the 2014 needs of FeedMore, the Community Kitchen and the Central Virginia Food Bank.

Capital One associates harvesting organic lettuce.

The lettuce — three types; organic romaine-style – is packed carefully into coolers to remain chilled during transport to the Community Kitchen.

The Capital One volunteers. This is what the phrase “seeing the fruits of your labor” means.