Darren Chapman and volunteers of The Garden of Tomorrow dream of a greener, healthier community. 

To make that dream a reality, Darren and his team submitted their BIG Idea of addressing nutrition education, exercise and sustainability through organic gardening to Scholastic’s “BE BIG in Your Community” contest.

Selected as a 2009 contest winner, the volunteers at the Garden of Tomorrow have utilized their grant winnings to promote healthy living.  Concerned about the more than 23 million children and adolescents who are overweight or obese in the United States, the Garden seeks to change the way Phoenix, Arizona, community members think about food and their bodies. The Garden focuses on healthy eating through cooking classes and food preparation demonstrations.

The Garden of Tomorrow also unites volunteers of all ages and backgrounds as they share in the tasks of planting, weeding, picking vegetables, tilling the ground and other processes involved in gardening. This year, the group made the garden friendly for all by adapting the garden’s outlay to accommodate handicapped gardeners. The intergenerational group now maintains three productive community gardens and inspires communities around the nation to follow in its footsteps in adopting healthy living practices and uniting diverse groups through gardening.    

Darren “envisions driving around town past lots that were once strewn with garbage now being filled with vibrant, productive community gardens” that act as the centerpiece of the community. He firmly believes that gardens can bring together artists, businesses, churches, community centers and other proactive stakeholders to positively impact the environment and the health of the community.

Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus is one of the 2010 inductees to the Extra Mile-Points of Light Volunteer Pathway national monument for her dedication to enhancing quality of life for senior citizens through the founding of the AARP.

Andrus saw value and worth where others may not have – in the older members of society. She knew that older Americans could contribute to community growth and change in a democratic society. She also knew that those ages 50 years old and older had needs that were not being met. With these thoughts in her mind, Andrus founded both the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA) in 1947 and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) a year later. 

Both the NRTA and AARP have grown in size and strength and have become instruments of change for their members. The organization promotes independence, dignity and purpose, enhances the quality of life and encourages older people “To serve, not be served.”  

Points of Light Institute honors and celebrates Andrus’ work and dedication to improving the lives of older persons. Also honoring Andrus’ legacy, AARP works to increase the availability of health insurance, educational and travel opportunities, low-cost drug distribution and other services to its members. The organization has promoted Andrus’ philosophy of productive aging and helped highlight the contributions that older members of society can make. 

Points of Light Institute welcomes Andrus into the Extra Mile.

“We have demonstrated that old age is not a defeat but a victory, not a punishment but a privilege.”
   — Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus

Breanna McGowan has the heart of a servant. While volunteering at Outreach orphanage in Ghana for Projects Abroad, she learned about the poverty children in Ghana experience. The 17-year-old wondered how she could make a difference and improve their situation. When Breanna returned to the United States, she set a goal: to make a tangible difference in the lives of orphans in Ghana.

Breanna’s work in Ghana inspired her to start a foundation called All’s God Children Got Shoes, which sends school supplies and shoes to children in Ghana. Her community supports Breanna’s foundation, organizing a shoe drive and car wash to help out All God’s Children Got Shoes. Having purchased 29 pairs of shoes, backpacks and school supplies for the 57 orphans, she intends to make a return trip to Ghana in the summer of 2010.

With her efforts, Breanna has collected food cans for needy families, and she donned facemasks, rubber boots and overalls to rebuild homes. She addresses the needs of ordinary people by doing extraordinary things. Through her actions, Breanna has not only impacted the children in Ghana, but she has also encouraged other teenagers in her community to give to those in need. 

Breanna will continue helping the children in Ghana by assisting them with college applications and information on universities in the United States. Breanna’s willingness to go out of her way to help others speaks volumes to how much she wishes to change these children’s lives for the better.