MILWAUKEE — Jan Carroll is a retired nurse. She developed a passion for nursing something other than people after volunteering with Will Allen's Growing Power. She takes care of community orchards, planted by the city and other organizations like Ground Work Milwaukee.
"Since I retired, I really needed something else. I just love being an OB nurse, that was just the most joyous job I ever had and I had many. So I think I just love taking care of things and I love learning about all the ways that you can make something thrive," said Carroll.
At the request of State Senator Lena Taylor, Carroll created a map of community orchards. This allowed her to travel to those locations with the intention to help maintain the spaces.
"Learning and meeting all the people in the city that are doing this incredible work of trying to make their neighborhoods a beautiful place and they don't get any credit for it," said Carroll.
Cheri Fuqua is one of those people. She helps maintain the orchard at 38th and Wright.
"So what have these orchards meant to this neighborhood, this community? It actually brings unity. We have block parties, we have paint, paint in the park...all types of things jump off here. It's really nice and it is something that we actually do every year we add on", said Fuqua.
Fuqua lost her son to gun violence. She says the community orchard helped bring more positivity to the block.
"Just the green space in itself, when you just look out my door and it's clean and it's fresh. Individuals are utilizing the spot, it just makes me feel like let's continue to build on it, and let's just put more throughout the community," said Fuqua.
The different orchards around the city grow apples, pears, cherries, plums, and even peaches.
"This neighborhood is, theoretically and realistically, a food desert. It was part of the whole idea to make cities able to produce their own food either through garden boxes, making vegetables, and planting orchards," said Carroll.
"There are a number of community gardens and orchards around the City of Milwaukee, but what makes this one very unique...it's in memory of children.
"I had partnered up with Guardian of The Children which is a HAWG Chapter, which is a division here in Milwaukee. They are a motorcycle club and what they do, their main goal is to help young people that are being abused on this earth," said Dawn Powell.
Powell is referred to as the Purple Thumb Gardener. She helps maintain the community garden and orchards near 8th and 9th Streets at Concordia. She says Guardians of the Children helped plant 40 trees and dedicated stones in memory of children who died after being abused.
"Now they can live on within a tree bringing life to the community. The other thing is the community itself. We are drawing from their strength on a daily basis," said Powell.
Ultimately, the community gardens and orchards are fulfilling their goals, but only with the help of the many individuals like Jan, Cheri, and Dawn who donate their time and energy to the cause.
"The community is doing it, I'm just a little catalyst that's bringing them together," said Powell.
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