Oak Grove Documentary

For the past two summers, the Mathews Center has sponsored an undergraduate internship experience at Comet Grove Community Garden in Oak Grove, Alabama. Hunter Morgan and Ballard Jones are the two Auburn University students who have participated in the internship, and their experiences  – though respectively unique –share certain attributes. Thankfully, both interns worked diligently to record and reflect on their experiences through blogs, weekly reports, and photographs.

This past summer, Auburn University’s College of Liberal Arts wanted to take the reflection process a step further. Under the guidance and direction of videographer Alessio Summerfield, a short documentary was filmed and edited on the project.

The documentary provides an accurate and engaging look into the tireless work that is put into Comet Grove. Whether hearing from Carolyn Ziegler (the garden’s director), the interns, or an active schoolteacher, the viewer gets a brief glimpse into a community-based project that is having a profound affect on people’s lives in Talladega County.

The documentary was premiered in Oak Grove on October 18, and the citizens were ecstatic over the final product. After watching the film, the group discussed the future of the garden, and former Oak Grove mayor Bloise Ziegler (the man responsible for the creation of Comet Grove) provided a thoughtful reflection on the garden’s progress. His words were truly moving, and his commitment to working with his community at the age of 98 exemplifies what it means to be civic-minded.

Please feel free to share this video far and wide.

- Chris McCauley (DMC Executive Director)