November 2021 - Alexandre Réhaume-Castillo

Réhaume-Castillo, a military veteran, has been volunteering at the base for two years and was the first to step up when they put out a call asking for help. 
“I didn’t even have a plan, I just created the design from my head,” said Réhaume-Castillo. “It really warmed my heart to be able to help them.”
 
The final product was three solid wood, raised garden boxes that would make any gardener green with envy.
 
“He donated over six hours of his time and built these great boxes,” said Alexandra Simard, community social worker technician at the Valcartier Military Family Resource Centre. “He built everything himself and they should be around for a while.”
 
Now that the base has the boxes, Simard is hopeful this will be a yearly program as the youth who participated thoroughly enjoyed being able to plant things from seedlings and care for them until they could enjoy the bounty.
 
In addition to learning the basics about gardening, Simard believes the garden boxes will allow youth to benefit from the mental health benefits of gardening.
 
The process was just as rewarding for Réhaume-Castillo, as he himself is dealing with some physical and mental injuries.
 
“I definitely want to keep volunteering and helping out.”