The mission of the Campbell medical school is serving the underserved, reaching out to rural populations and bringing needed care to these communities.
But members of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Medicine are going beyond medicine to benefit Campbell and people in southeastern North Carolina.
Consider, for example, the annual faculty and staff retreat, which included myriad community service projects, including work in the community garden and a new partnership with the Harnett County Buddy Backpack (HCBB) program.
The backpack program throughout the year provides more than 500 bags of food per week to underserved K-12 students throughout the Harnett County district, says Kerry Ann Prodorutti, administrative assistant for Biomedical Affairs at the med school
“They rely on organizations to contribute throughout the year, and we love seeing CUSOM be a part of that giving,” Prodorutti says.
The original goal was to collect enough food and to create bags for 100 to 150 children, but CUSOM far exceeded that, as CUSOM faculty and staff filled 213 bags for the program.
Dr. Briane Holmes and Shannon Connelly, Professional Development coordinator, dropped off the bags, and the Spout Springs fire department helped to unload them.
Holmes has played an integral role in establishing and overseeing the service projects, along with many others, including Robin Roeder, executive assistant to the dean. Holmes is director of Professional Development Professional Development at the med school as well as an assistant professor.
The garden, which got started last year, is a collaboration between students and the faculty and staff, who are invited to take home a paver, paint it and return it to add to the patio area.
“The space will ultimately be a quiet place to sit, rest, be mindful and just enjoy being outside,” Prodorutti says.
During the retreat faculty and staff cleaned around the garden beds, as students have already begun planting summer flowers and vegetables. Old mulch was raked and shoveled away, fabric and sand were laid and pavers for the patio and walkways were placed.
“In the garden we have tomatoes, green beans, onions, strawberries, peppers and more, which the students, faculty and staff are invited to take from as needed,” Holmes said.
The project, including the benches and pavers, is ongoing.
“It’s really become a wonderful project, incorporating both wellness and service,” Holmes said. “We are also continuously working on getting the patio stones painted by various student groups, faculty or staff.”
Said Roeder, “I’m trying to work with the students who are interested in gardening in the flower garden, so that everyone can enjoy the beautiful flowers and the accompanying butterflies and bees.”
