South College Admissions team members helping HUG included (front l-r) Sheilah Mendez, Lauren Galyon, Anna Rosetti; (background l-r) Lisa Susong and Pamela Bizot.
Helping HUG promotes teamwork
Recently the South College Admissions Department participated in a group HUG. That is, they lent a hand to the Habitat for Humanity Urban Garden (HUG) Foundation to improve a community garden.
HUG is an education program in which master gardeners and volunteers help Habitat for Humanity homeowners learn about landscaping and gardening.
This particular garden is part of the Beardsley Farm, a community horticulture center which grows fresh vegetables, fruit and honey for the Mechanicsville community. It provides plants and vegetables for local food pantries, Second Harvest Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity homes.
There is no better way to promote departmental team-building than by working together on a project that brings you back to something as basic as growing food. Our team pulled weeds, pushed wheelbarrows, built compost bins, planted plants and earned praises from the HUG staff for making a difference.
I have always been extremely proud of the team we have at South College. I believe that we all share the same goal of providing a strong educational foundation to help our students achieve their goals. That focus on helping our students succeed is what sets us apart. It is important for each person to realize they are a significant part of that process - to learn how important teamwork really is.
Anna Rosetti was one of the nearly 15 team members who spent a long morning clearing that plot of land. In spite of being extremely sore the next day, Anna said it was great to work together on a project outside of the office. They learned a lot about gardening, and discovered a different side of one another. Anna also mentioned how rewarding it was to give back to the community.
It is important that each of us gives back to this great community. Efforts like Habitat for Humanity do that well. This garden project provided a double benefit; team building for our staff and service to our community. See what good a HUG can do!
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Last week we began demolition inside the former Goody’s corporate headquarters on Parkside Drive, to convert the office space into our new Parkside Centre Learning Site. We will occupy approximately 85,000 square feet in the property’s “west wing,” which includes a 200-seat auditorium. 
When we built our signature building on Lonas Drive, it was such an increase in space I thought it would give us plenty of room to grow. Only four years later, we have filled that building and have been holding additional classes at a second location on Hayfield Road in West Knoxville.
Twenty years may be a long time, but it has gone by in the blink of an eye. 
As we reflect on our blessings in this season of giving thanks, many children and families right here in East Tennessee are not so fortunate. No child ever chooses to live in poverty, and no parent wants to be unable to provide a gift or toy for their child at Christmas time.
