The Shining Impact

“This is thyme. This is rosemary.”

D. LORNE COYLE

2014 Impact 100 Grant Winners (L – R) Joel Bray, Shining Light Garden Foundation; Edie Widder, ORCA; Michael Kelley, Florida Institute of Technology, Scott Center for Autism; and Michael Naffziger, Indian River Charter High School.

Not that he wanted the television cameras from WPTV Channel 5 to be there. But the Jefferson Awards had just honored Joel Bray for his volunteer work at Shining Light Garden. That annual award is considered by many to be the pinnacle of national recognition for volunteerism and public service. Bray and other recipients from across the country were honored at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., last July. Now reporter Tania Roberts from WPTV Channel 5 had come to visit. Bray felt obliged to be hospitable. So the pony-tailed former construction worker was pointing out what was in the garden when she visited.

Indian River Impact 100 in April had awarded Shining Light a $100,000 grant to provide equipment that would be used to increase production by 50%. As a result, Shining Light leased another 20 acres, adding to the 30 acres Mr. Bray and a group of volunteers already worked. Impact 100 President Judy Peschio said, “This national recognition for Joel Bray and the Shining Light Garden solidifies our selection of him as one of our choices for a recent grant. The women of Impact 100 take great care in the selection of our recipients and this is just icing on the cake.”

As if the recognition of the confluence of local generosity and local need weren’t enough, Bray wrote a personal note after receiving the Jefferson Award. He wrote this to Indian River Impact 100 Grants Chair Suzanne Bertman, “This week I was in Washington, D.C., for the Jefferson Awards. Before the time for my speech, the lady who went before me was Wendy Steele who had been nominated for starting the [national] Impact 100 concept. I was then able to acknowledge publicly to her that from her idea Shining Light Garden was a recent winner of an Impact 100 grant that would enable us to purchase needed equipment that would help us to feed more of the needy.”

Joel Bray, a third generation Floridian and contractor by trade, planted a small garden a few years ago and is now cultivating 20 acres now known as The Shining Light Garden.

For over four years, Joel and his volunteers have grown veggies and flowers. The vegetables go to local groups such as The Source and Harvest Food and Outreach to feed the hungry. Bray knows how unbalanced is the diet of the needy. Agreeing with Bray, a former executive director of a local homeless agency described the diet of the homeless – when not eating out of dumpsters – as canned, packaged, high-sodium, high-carbohydrate, often junk food. Bray’s request for the $100,000 Impact 100 grant focused on getting healthier, inexpensive food to the poor and the homeless.

The flowers go to Indian River’s VNA Hospice and St. Francis Manor. Bray said, “I saw the change it made in their lives and the joy just to receive something.” To make ends meet, Bray said, “Basically we just depend on God and He has never let us down.”

Ann Marie McCrystal added her appreciation of Bray and Shining Light. A founder of the Visiting Nurses Association of the Treasure Coast (VNATC) 39 years ago and herself a registered nurse, McCrystal said, “At Hospice House we want a patient to live every day to the fullest, with comfort, compassion, and dignity. Shining Light’s flowers bring a breath of life to patients and brighten up their days.”

Irena and Dianna Adams, who live adjacent to the Shining Light Garden, are among many volunteers to work in the fields and deliver food and flowers. Irena and Dianna's parents invited Joel Bray to cultivate some of their land to raise food for the needy. — Irena and Dianna Adams, who live adjacent to the Shining Light Garden, are among many volunteers to work in the fields and deliver food and flowers. Irena and Dianna’s parents invited Joel Bray to cultivate some of their land to raise food for the needy.

Indian River IMPACT 100 is a volunteer organization of women committed to improving its community by providing transformational grants to non-profit organizations in our local area. In the last five years Indian River Impact 100 has granted awards totaling over $2,000,000 to our community. Why did Shining Light Garden move their hearts? Bray had summed it up in the Channel 5 interview, saying, “Basically, I just love to grow and I love to give. This project is a no-brainer.” Impact Vice-chair of Communications Laura Steward said, “When Shining Light Gardens described their project at the Impact 100 annual meeting, they spoke about wanting to help feed the hungry with healthy, nutritious vegetables. And not just feeding; he talked about flowers for the sick and dying. If I were in the VNA Hospice House, I’d love to have fresh flowers every day as a sign of life. When he was done talking, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

“This is thyme. This is rosemary.” And this is the shining impact of generous hearts in our community.