We have so many opportunities to celebrate this month! St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) is right around the corner, but we are also looking forward to recognizing the amazing women of the CCG during International Women's Day (March 8th), as well as acknowledging the awesome work of our NC Campus Compact HungerCorps Vista Hannah Fraser during AmeriCorps Week (March 8-12). The A.L.I.E.N. program is hosting events, new podcast episodes are out, and in the community garden, opportunities are blooming!

With everything going on this March, we are feeling lucky to be CCG!

The CCG is made possible by the efforts and partnerships of amazing women on campus and in our community. We uplift and honor women's history month this March by highlighting their stories and work on our podcast, Against the Grain! Visit the link below to learn about the work of the following awesome women:

• Dr. Kaitlyn Perry and Dr. Sandi Mills (WU Mathematics Department)
  
• Gena Moore (Carolina Farm Stewardship Association)
  
• Amy Sperry (Union County Education Foundation)
  
• Jessie Lindberg (Turning Point, Inc.)
  
• Darlene Kindle (Carolina Equine Rescue & Assistance - CERA)
  
• Jesse Granger (UC Council on Ageing)
  
• Dr. Kristin Stowe and undergrad Victoria Casiano-Cantoran (Economic Impact Course ECON 413)
  
• Rayni Collins (Center for Emotional Health)
  
• Dr. Reeti Douglas (Occupational Therapy)
  
• Kelly Shepherd Watts (Trinity Wellness Community Center)
  
• Dr. Candy Lapan (WU and the CCG)
  
• Sarah Busby (2019-2020 WU VISTA)
  

The first episode of the CCG's new podcast series, Voice of the Students, is up now! Our host, Graduate Assistant and Leadership Intern Adden Howard, will be featuring the stories of our Wingate Bulldogs and exploring their insights into leadership and community engagement. This week includes an interview with student Jacob Reeves, lab assistant, mentor, biology major and senior WU bulldog.

Check out this and all other episodes of Against the Grain on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn and Spotify!

AmeriCorps Week is March 8th -12th and gives us an awesome opportunity to celebrate our NC Campus Compact HungerCorps Vista Hannah Fraser! As a part of the CCG, Hannah has made a huge difference on our campus and in our community. From the development of the UC Food Council, her work in the community garden, her support of CLI projects, and the creation of the Agricultural Immersion Summer Experience among so many other things, we are lucky to have Hannah as part of our team!

The Food Council of Union County is a newly formed multidisciplinary coalition involving all parts of the food system. Their mission is to create a healthy and sustainable food community that involves all Union County residents in a collaborative effort. Hannah has been integral to the formation of this council, and we are so proud of her work!

If you're interested in being a part of their team, please join the general meeting on March 18th from 4-5 pm.

Hannah was the lead organizer for the inaugural Bulldog Bone-Appetit Winter Tablefellowship, a program started for the 2020 Wingate University Winter Break to relieve food insecure students who were staying on campus due to Covid-19. The CCG collaborated with employees from the university, local nonprofit organizations, and local churches to provide meals and snacks since the dining hall and restaurants around campus were closed. Hannah contacted and served meals to over 20 students every Tuesday during December and January.

Read the white paper about her awesome work below:

• Rent a raised bed! - Do you want to be a part of our community garden? We are looking for individuals or groups to rent out our 8 raised beds! We provide the water and tools, just bring your green thumb. We will have seeds that you can choose from, or you can plant your own. Our garden manager and other members of our team will help you maintain your plot. If you are interested, contact ccg@wingate.edu or call 704-283-3801 for more information.

• Farmer’s Market Questionnaire - Are you a part of the community and want to give input about a potential farmer's market on the Wingate University campus? If so, please fill out our Farmer's Market Interest Questionaire using this link!

• Agriculture Immersion Summer Experience - This opportunity, sponsored by Wingate University, the NC Cooperative Extention, and AmeriCorps, allows rising 8th graders the chance for fun and educational experiences during their summer break. Check out the flyer below to learn about the awesome weekly themes, and contact h.fraser@wingate.edu for more details!

• Community Garden Cooking with Dr. Erika Niland and Hannah Fraser - Watch the video below to learn how to make pickled carrots; Erika and Hannah demonstrate the process using fresh produce from our very own garden!

The A.L.I.E.N Program, sponsored by the Wingate University Collaborative For The Common Good, is designed to bring individuals into nature to get to know each other better and develop leadership characteristics in engaging and fun ways. Students from Dr. Nick DeLangie's course, CCR 314 Outdoor Recreation, will be attending a session on the 27th of March where they will participate in activities such as Archery, Wilderness Problem Solving, Camping Tent Set up, Hiking, Group Discussion, Table Fellowship, and Artistic reflection.

If this sounds like your kind of adventure, join our next session on March 20th from 10 am - 4 pm on beautiful Southern 8ths Farm, only 30 minutes from Wingate University! Anyone seeking to grow in their leadership skills can contact CCG Leadership Intern Adden Howard (ad.howard943@wingate.edu) and faculty member Dr. Nick DeLangie (nbdelang@wingate.edu) for details, or apply at the link below!

Unsure of how to start your own project? Want to join in on an already-running project? Reach out to us at the following link to complete our CCG Interest Form: https://forms.gle/7aqxTzqrhmEDr8Rp7

Want to learn more or join the CCG? There are various ways to get in touch with us - we would love to hear from you!

Email: ccg@wingate.edu
Website: https://www.wingate.edu/around-campus/common-good
Location: 102 West Wilson Street, Wingate, NC, USA
Phone: 7042338067
Facebook: http://facebook.com/CCGWingate
Twitter: @ccgwingate