JANIE GOULD
On the morning of Jan. 23, after the coldest night of the season so far, Joel Bray saw frost on the flowers at the Shining Light Garden, along with some wilted sweet potato vines, but overall, the crops were looking good.
Bray said it was 34 degrees outside his Winter Beach home when he arose at 5 a.m. By the time he got to the 20-acre garden at 7:30, the temperature had risen a bit, giving way to glorious sunshine and a bright blue sky.
“Every day is a beautiful day when you’re giving stuff away!” he said. “Giving stuff away” is the mission of the Shining Light Garden, on 49th Street west of 66th Avenue. It’s a nonprofit, faith-based enterprise that’s not affiliated with any church, in which volunteers raise vegetables, herbs and flowers, and donate everything to the needy. The slogan is “feeding the hungry one garden at a time.” Bray says it’s “100 percent volunteer and 100 percent giveaway.”
Bray and Greg Vafiades, both of them unpaid, operate the garden with the assistance of numerous community volunteers, who weed, plant, pick or wash produce. Bray takes care of the agricultural side of the operation, while Vafiades handles public relations, research about recipients and fund-raising.
“I’m the farmer and he’s the charmer,” Bray said with a laugh.
On a tour of the garden the other morning, Bray pointed out the bountiful herb garden, which looks nothing like what you might be cultivating outside your kitchen. It’s abundant with oregano, chives, marjoram, basil, cilantro, chives, rosemary, dill and other aromatic edibles.
“The chief from Hospice House sometimes come out to get herbs,” he said, and a woman who teaches a course about diabetes management also makes use of the herbs in her nutrition lessons.
Adjacent to the herb garden is the one-acre flower garden, which actually is made up of four gardens, and currently boasts brightly booming sunflowers, zinnias, Shasta daisies, zinnias, hollyhocks and more.
“This was started specifically for the Hospice House,” Bray said. “The flowers reach people that the vegetables cannot.”
Bob Peters, a retired economics and accounting professor from Chicago, was busy loading up flowers to take to Hospice, where other volunteers would make bouquets and deliver them to patients’ rooms.
“I have a Ph.D. in economics. I know nothing about plants,” Peters said.
But he does know that the beautiful flowers brighten the day for Hospice patients. Peters volunteers at Shining Light Garden once a week, and sometimes also takes flowers to the Homeless Family Center, and “with the boss’ permission,” to the Book Depot and public library.
Most of what’s planted at Shining Light Garden is edible, and is growing in abundance: broccoli, eggplant, collard greens, onions, carrots, rutabaga, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, winter squash, sweet potatoes, beets, Swiss chard, and other vegetables. Bray had several large plastic bags filled with collard greens to take to the Gifford Youth Activities Center for a senior meals program.
Other recipients of fresh-from-the-field vegetables include food pantries, soup kitchens and two senior living centers.
“I’ve had clients call and say how much they appreciate having fresh vegetables,” he said.
Some of those who get veggies from Shining Light Garden are not part of any organization.
“We have a gentleman who comes every Friday and takes produce to homeless camps,” Bray said. “One lady comes every Friday and takes produce to six homeless veterans.” opice
Bray worked in construction and land clearing until the economy soured a few years ago. He planted a garden behind his home, and took vegetables he didn’t need to homebound seniors. Then, he set his sights on something bigger. Some residents in a rural neighborhood northwest of Vero let him cultivate vacant land they own, and that’s become the Shining Light Garden.
“It was all woods, so I had to clear it,” he said. “Fortunately, I still had the equipment to do that.”
The third-generation native has deep roots in the land, and not just those of vegetables and flowers. His grandfather, Cleveland McCloud, grew vegetables and later, citrus, on the property 70 years ago.
“My grandfather actually cleared 15 acres with a mule,” he said. ‘‘There’s a lot of history here.”
With a background in construction rather than agriculture, Bray says the project has been a learning experience for him.
“I have a heart for giving and growing, and I love the Lord,” he said.
Hard-working volunteers are key to the project’s success. On a cold morning the other day, Barbara Murphy of Vero Beach was pulling weeds. She started volunteering at the garden during the dog days of summer, and shows up faithfully four mornings a week.
“This is a wonderful place, very worthwhile,” she said, “and we need a lot of weeders.”
Everything is grown from seed, so Bray needs a lot of seeders, too.
“Right now we’re weeding and doing a little bit of harvesting,” he said. “In the middle of February, we’ll be planting all over again. There’s always work here. There’s always weeding, there’s always harvesting and there’s always planting. We need people to wash the vegetables. There’s a job for everybody. It’s a 20-acre garden!”
One regular volunteer until recently was 90-year-old Ralph Hamilton of Vero Beach. Another man who donates some of his time to the garden is 83. The Indian River County Garden Club and the John’s Island Foundation are among the many community supporters.
“People from all walks of life come here,” Bray said. “They all have a heart for giving. It’s so good to know there are people with good hearts who are willing to come out here and sweat.”
Bray is hoping someday to have a soup kitchen and food pantry at the garden. Community support is needed, and can come in many forms: direct donations, fund-raising events to help raise money for seeds and equipment, and by simply spreading the word about the work to ”feed those in need with nutritious and wholesome, locally grown produce.” Shining Light representatives are available to speak to church, civic and service clubs throughout Indian River County.
Bray asks that potential volunteers call him before showing up at the garden, so that he can plan ahead.
To contact him, call (772) 539-3752, or email him at Joel@ShiningLightGardenFoundation.com. Greg Vafiades can be reached at (7 72) 532-8777. His email address is Greg@ShiningLightGardenFoundation.com.
The organization’s website is www.ShiningLightGardenFoundation.com. Its mailing address is 6865 33rd Av., Vero Beach, FL 32967.
Indian River Guardian 
So pleased to see this very worthwhile project getting some face time with the public. Everyone be sure to support this wonderful effort!