Green T Students

 

 

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Kingston, Roane County

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Video Transcript

Chuck Denney
It’s what happens when orange goes green - when classroom learning is transformed into compassion.
These UT students are part of a group called Green T - horticulture and landscaping majors who give their time to help others. This day they’re hard at work at Tonya Herrera’s house in Kingston.

Tonya Herrera
“It’s really been a grateful experience for us. We’ve been kind of blown away by the generosity we’ve seen from the community and from this group Green T.”

Chuck Denney
Tonya’s husband Sgt. David Herrera was a Fort Campbell soldier who died in a humvee attack in Bagdad. Now raising two daughters in her hometown, Tonya doesn’t have the life she once envisioned - but she’s making due, and appreciates the work of Green T.

Tonya Herrera
“They picked things that will attract butterflies and birds - things that the girls really like, and it’s easy for Mom to take care of, which is really going to be good for Mom.”

Chuck Denney
Here Whitney Parks and five-year-old Emma Herrera fertilize some new plants. This effort came about when Whitney’s dad learned about the Herrera family, and told his daughter and other Green T members.

Whitney Parks
“Basically it’s good for us college students to do because sometimes we focus on ourselves and kind of lose track of what’s important. So I think this is a good opportunity to do something good.”            

Chuck Denney
The Green T students also collected more than four thousand dollars worth of donated materials for this project.  Every single garden center they contacted gave generously to help Mrs. Herrera. Green T members are putting in flowers and mulch at the house, and one of their last chores is to plant a weeping cherry tree. Students say their work is to honor Sgt. Herrera.

Whitney Parks
“What we did couldn’t even begin to repay for what he did, and the service he gave.”

Zeke Cooper
“This man laid down his life for our country. The least we can do is come out here and plant some plants and make his wife’s yard look better.”

Chuck Denney
Zeke Cooper is in school to learn about plants and landscaping, but the lesson he gets here is about true sacrifice.

Zeke Cooper
“We want her to know we’re grateful for what her husband did for us - and that there’s people in this community who care about soldiers and the sacrifices they give for all of us.”

Chuck Denney
Green T students receive no pay or academic credit for this. But they do get an “A” in thoughtfulness - and the satisfaction of knowing they helped someone. In this case, a young widow who is proud of her husband and now proud of her home.

END

NOTE: The Green T students have also done volunteer work at a Knoxville Nature Center - and have plans for several projects around the UT campus.