“Plant Seeds of Kindness” Bullying Prevention Campaign

In memory of Austin Pendergrass, 13 - Wendell Middle School

The Fuquay-Varina Growers Market is more than a farmers market. Community outreach is at the core of who we are and even though we are a seasonal market, our work continues year-round. Our volunteers, interns, and partners are all part of our outreach work.

In September of 2022, the Fuquay-Varina Police Department asked us to partner with them to host the 1st Annual Mental Awareness event in our market space. Without hesitation, we helped organize the event which was held on October 8th, 2022.

The Growers Market along with our partner, the Poe Center for Health Education, chose Bullying Prevention in memory of Austin Pendergrass, a 13 year old 8th grader at Wendell Middle School, lost by suicide after being bullied.

We also focused on this much needed topic because it coincided with Bullying Prevention month. Using resources provided by Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, we created “Plant Seeds of Kindness” flower pot kits. Each kit contains a pot, soil, flower seeds, stickers, bookmark, and other resources including an information card for parents directing them to this page.

Twenty five kids signed the pledge to not bully on October 8th, 2022. Each of these kids went home with a kit and it’s our hope that they will plant their seeds, watch them grow, and remember the pledge they took. Perhaps they will continue to plant future flowers from dead-heading their flowers and the teaching moments will continue. Who knows, we may find out that a few of these kids continued growing flowers, vegetables, gardens or even became young farmers.

We have decided to make this a permanent campaign! It’s our hope that by giving these kits to elementary aged children, we will inspire and mold their little minds into being kind, not bully others, and intervene when they see someone being bullied. We will continue to work with school social workers to get these kits in hands of little ones and spread acts of kindness and inclusion.

• Use this link to donate or sponsor our Bullying Prevention Campaign

• If you are a teacher or social worker and would like to be part of our campaign, please contact our Market Manager, Marge Moreton.