Virginia Tech Turf Team
Director’s Corner
A GREAT MISSION
Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807 askew@vt.edu
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
I
did not ask Harris Wheeler’s permission before dedicating this column to him. Just as well. He would not have given it. In a lifetime we encounter only a handful of persons like Harris who are characterized by the unique combination of a driving passion to accomplish a great mission and an intense drive to give credit to others. Such persons self sacrificially work behind the scenes and are embarrassed when the spotlight of praise shines in their direction. Harris’ lifetime of achievements, his work with underserved youth, his plans for future ministries, and his fantastic attitude in the midst of hardships demand this dedication. I first met Harris while he was still the Horticulture instructor at Richmond Technical Center. As a teacher, he went beyond the textbook and focused his attention and energies on encouraging inner city youth to break out of traditional ways of thinking. He led them to aspire to great futures that built on – and were not limited by – their backgrounds. Harris asked me, a stranger, permission to bring about 25 students to our Annual Conference. I do not recall any other teacher asking to bring an entire class to one of our events. Of course, I gave permission and totally enjoyed seeing Harris interacting with his students. After retirement from Richmond Public Schools, Harris volunteered with Groundwork RVA. “Volunteer” is far too simple a term for his efforts. He founded the Richmond division of the existing national organization and served on its Board of Directors for many years. Groundwork RVA works with inner city youth and seeks to instill in them the vision for making positive changes in Richmond and in their lives. When the need was there, Harris volunteered his own equipment for persons to use in their projects. During the past few years, he has worked with Robert Argabright (“Mr. Bob”) at Bellemeade Park which is an outdoor educational outreach public park attached to an inner city elementary school. The purpose of the park is summed up with this statement: “Through playing in the stream and woodland, digging in the gardens, walking and biking on the trails, or just taking in the wonders of nature, our Bellemeade children and their families are becoming engaged and energized stewards of their community.” Many of you know about the Environmental Institute’s Petersburg Service Project. That project was a fantastic partnership between Virginia State University, Emmanuel Apostolic Temple, City of Petersburg, James River Association, Keep Virginia Green, and others. A stormwater mitigation project had the unintended consequence of allowing sediment to flow from the church property into the James River. The Service Project installed a low maintenance landscape that stopped the pollution. Harris Wheeler was the person who made the project possible! I am very privileged and honored to know and work with Mr. Harris Wheeler. And I am proud to call him a friend.
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
8 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org
Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3900 adelpozo@vt.edu Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3912 jderr@vt.edu Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D. Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-2951 goatley@vt.edu David McCall, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu Dan Sandor, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 170 Drillfield Dr. 411 Price Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9775 dsandor@vt.edu WITH SUPPORT FROM: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu
