The story of the HOPE Gardens at Robin AFB continues. In Sept. 2020, Col. Brian Moore, the Robins Installation Commander joined with about two dozen team members in the dedication of the new H.O.P.E. Garden at Warner Robins. H.O.P.E. stands for Help is available; Opportunity exists; People care; Expect good things. The program was created in response to the high suicide rate in the U.S. Armed Forces. “This is a physical representation of the H.O.P.E. campaign that this installation has taken on,” said Moore. “H.O.P.E. is a unifying presence. It is not just a philosophy. It is an acronym with action behind it.” “This is how we take care of our Airmen and make Robins the place where we combat fear and anxiety,” said Stuart Bapties, Violence Prevention Integrator and Suicide Prevention Program manager for the Robins Integrated Resilience Program Office.
Work on the garden started in May 2019 with Donna Hunt, the H.O.P.E. Garden project coordinator and Diane Stephens helping with the transformation. The site was previously known as the Camellia Memorial Garden.
In 2021, the Hope Gardens received a Grant from GMGA to install a raised bed children’s garden. It was very fortuitous that a group of Civil Engineering airmen were visiting the base and volunteered to help run the water lines. They were able to get the lines run in two days while still doing their military training. We were able to add a new raised bed with a water line thanks to their willingness to get involved. The Airmen said they were glad to do help because it gave them an opportunity to help with a worthy cause. (see Scoop, Dec 2021, p3)
Hope Gardens at Robins AFB, which is maintained by the Houston County MGEVs together with base personnel, has won the John Walker Community Service award from the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA). The Award is in recognition of a significant contribution to horticultural therapy in the area of program services provided to a community. Programs recognized are distinguished by their leadership in the field, innovative service delivery, and effective public relations.
See also: https://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=robins&query=Hope+Gardens