A flourishing garden at the Georgetown Bureau of Aging is testimony to how a little idea can keep on growing.

This is according to representatives from District 6 of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, who were on hand Monday to congratulate the seniors who helped plant the neat rows of collards, sweet potatoes, peppers and tomatoes.

The garden is the first DHEC Healthy Aging project finished in South Carolina, said Regina Nesmith, health education director for Region Six.

Other projects taking place in other towns including walking paths and activities that take the seniors outside and promotes good health.

The garden is also meant to teach the seniors more about diabetes prevention and healthy eating as a way to control the disease.

“The concept is healthy communities,’’ Nesmith said. “These are things that we’re working on for health promotion.”

Small garden

The Georgetown garden started last year as a small number of plantings put in by the seniors.

Nesmith, who visited the Bureau of Aging, noticed the seniors were paying for the small garden out of their own pockets.

She realized there was grant money through the DHEC Diabetes program to pay for an expanded garden, she said.

The seniors got busy this spring and will soon harvest their crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, onions and many other vegetables.

“This is a continuation and an expansion of what we had,’’ said Betty Shubrick, site manager for the Georgetown Senior Citizen Center.

The vegetables will be shared with 10 needy families who live in and around the Georgetown Housing Authority, said Joanne Jacobs, manager of the Bureau of Aging.

“They started planting a few things in March and they kept planting,’’ Jacobs said. “The vegetables will be shared with families around this community. We’ve already started distributing squash and cucumbers.”

Good advice

The seniors also got advice from Carlin Munnerlyn, the lead agent from the Clemson University Extension Program for Georgetown County.

Munnerlyn told the seniors on Monday that is was very important to eat vegetables, as they keep a body healthy.

“I was amazed at their knowledge,” Munnerlyn said. “They could tell me all they knew about gardening. They have a desire to work together.”

Since the project was so successful, a garden will be put in at the Andrews Senior Center, Nesmith said.

A similar project will also be done soon at Tara Hall Home for Boys.

As for the seniors in Georgetown, they are already planning their fall garden, when more families will benefit from their work.

“We’re proud to be part of this,” Munnerlyn said. “You’re quite an example to us.”

By Kelly Marshall Fuller

Kfuller@gtowntimes.com