Three members of the Happy Roots family were recognized for their contributions to the nonprofit’s organizational mission during a Harvest Dinner event earlier this month.

Community Partner of the Year

When Yeddi Lino went to the Happy Roots Harvest Dinner, he never anticipated receiving an award. An award-winning photographer and videographer by trade, Lino was planning on capturing the night through his lens.

“It was actually surprising,” he said. “When I was there, I was doing photography … I just came out and just had my camera on, and Mollie Ruf had walked up to me and said, ‘Hey, do you mind if I hold your camera?’”

Next thing he knew he was called up on stage.

“It was a surprise to me to even receive the award, because I had no idea at all,” Lino said.

Lino has been collaborating with Happy Roots and founder and director Ashley Honbarrier for a few years now.

“It was an honor to receive the award from somebody like Ashley, who I watched pour into the senior citizen homes and to these schools and to just every aspect of nature in Salisbury,” Lino said. “She has put her best foot forward, and that has motivated me to put my best foot forward. So it was definitely an honor, and it was a surprise more than anything.”

Lino organized a mentoring group for young men called BOYZ in the Good. There is also a sister program called GIRLZ in the Good with a similar mission for young women.

“Happy Roots is not just the organization to me, it’s a family,” Lino said. “Whenever they let it be known that they needed, you know, kids, to be a part of events, I will always make sure that my young men and my young queens were a part of it.”

Thanks to the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Grant and the allocation of resources that it is pouring into the West End Community in Salisbury, Lino’s programs are utilizing space at the Miller Recreation Center. His programs offer young men and women opportunities for a creative outlet in a nurturing and encouraging environment.

“During the summer, I started my first my pilot empowerment program,” Lino said.

He reached out to Honbarrier and asked if there was a way that they could start implementing some nature-based programs with the kids that he was working with.

“Our first project was a creative arts project for Trinity Oaks,” Lino said. “We painted boards for them to use in their gardens … that way, they can label their plants and their vegetables.”

After that, they started working with Ashley in the West End Community Garden.

“She allowed them to come in, and she gave them education on the different types of plants,” Lino said. “You know, like what’s the best time to plant these vegetables and things of that nature? So she created a holistic sanctuary for these kids who are in wild situations, to be able to be at peace and to see something different.”

Just recently, Happy Roots donated pumpkins to the kids at the Miller Recreation Center for them to decorate.

“We were able to paint them and put them on display to show the artistic side of the kids,” Lino said. “So we’ve definitely found a way to bridge the gap between nature and creative arts, and that has been our major goal.”

School Gardener of the Year

As part of a newly-minted award, Gray Coble was named School Gardener of the Year. Part of Happy Roots’ mission is to transform gardening techniques into curricula for Rowan County schools. Coble, 9, is a fourth grader at Isenberg Elementary School in Salisbury.

“My favorite part is when kids come out to the garden we get to help them and teach them how to grow their own food so that when they get older they can grow their own food,” Coble said.

During the Harvest Dinner, guests were treated to an extensive locally sourced multi-course meal. Several of the ingredients were grown in their school garden. Seeing the fruits of her labor transformed into cuisine is inspiring to Coble.

“When I get older, I want to be a chef and when I am a chef I want to grow the food for the restaurant,” Coble said.

Her mother, Ashlyn is very involved with Happy Roots as well, leading its culinary team.

“I think it is really great the amount of time and interest she has put into working with Happy Roots and Ashley and the excitement that she has to lead the groups like after school and when her class has gotten to go to the YMCA (where they have another garden),” Ashlyn said. “Even standing up and having her own opinion and being able to share that with the school board when she spoke on that with Ashley at the meeting last year.”

Gardening seems to run in the family.

Grandmother Jennifer Coble said, “My husband and I had a big garden,” adding, “I am very proud of Gray.”

“She is very outgoing with people and outgoing with the projects that she likes to do,” Jennifer said.

Ashlyn mentioned that it’s not just digging in the dirt that appeals to her daughter. She’s also engaged in the activities of the organization.

“For Gray, it’s not just about growing the food but more the activism in it and talking to people. Anytime that there is an event with a Happy Roots booth, she has been there to help from farmers market to farms day to community events like at the civic center.”

Jennifer added, “The part I think she loves the most in my eyes and what I have observed is being able to share about it and advocate for it.”

Rowan Helping Ministries Volunteer of the Year

The night was a celebration of young and old alike. Art Wiles, 71, was named the Rowan Helping Ministries Volunteer of the Year.

“Happy Roots uses volunteers to work their individual properties,” Wiles said. “This property that we are doing here is owned by Rowan Helping Ministries where I work.”
Wiles has been helping at Rowan Helping Ministries for seven years and been a full-time employee for two years.

“I work the staff and I work the garden,” Wiles said. “I usually am down there every morning fighting off the groundhogs.”

The garden has transformed beyond a simple matter of cultivation into a communal gathering place.

“What I get out of it is the peace of God,” Wiles said. “I feel the Lord down there in my own way. He richly blesses me every time I do it.

“It’s made a place where we can all come together, have prayer and to minister to those that need help. That is what it was designed to do.”

Wiles has been gardening since the 1970s.

“You learn from your mistakes and you can ask questions,” Wiles said. “Someone else will have the knowledge”

Being able to work with Honbarrier has been a dream come true for Wiles.

“(Happy Roots) is top notch,” Wiles said. “I love her to death. She’s like a daughter. She’s sweet and she has her full plate so I try to take over this part and help out where I can.”