Photo provided Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers, left, has donated to an effort by Lowell Smith, center, to create a community garden for those in recovery. Vicki Axsom is shown, at right.
More than 30 years ago, a then-Columbus police officer Matt Myers was chasing down a criminal suspect.
Now-Sheriff Matt Myers has donated $500 in seeds to the same suspect to help kick off a new charitable cause called “Garden of Hope.”
After serving almost four years in prison, Lowell Smith says he has started on a project that he hopes will help turn around the lives of others in substance abuse recovery.
The 57-year-old Smith says he’s working with organizations such as The Ridge and the Columbus Salvation Army to establish a large garden for those striving to maintain their sobriety, as well as get closer to their families.
“Growing a garden is something we can all do together,” said Smith, who would like to recruit at least 25 other individuals in recovery for the project. “If anybody has problems during that time, we can talk things out and help one another.”
Working on the same project helps create a healthy camaraderie among those in recovery, and provides a way to avoid those who enabled or encouraged the addiction, he said.
“The toughest thing I had to do in order to break my addiction was to get away from the people I was around,” Smith said. “I can honestly say that if I didn’t go to prison, I’d still be doing drugs because I’d still be around the same bunch of folks.”
A key factor in maintaining sobriety come from the positive relationships he has recently re-established with his children, who are now in their 30s, he said.
When the crops in the garden mature, the fruits and vegetables may be sold at the Columbus Farmers’ Market, with proceeds divided among different recovery projects, Smith said. Any homegrown food that isn’t purchased will be donated to an area food pantry, he said. If the right expertise can be recruited, the group may also provide canning and nutrition classes, he added.
Myers said he recalls that when Smith was a jail inmate, he used to talk to him about getting off drugs, obtaining an education and becoming a productive member of the community.
The sheriff said Smith came into his office Monday showing a pride and confidence that Myers said left him almost speechless.
“He certainly got my attention when he walked in,” the sheriff said. “Lowell was sober, healthy, happy, held a copy of his GED in hand and had a purpose.
But in order to launch his idea, Smith will need some assistance from the community.
“Please let him know if you have land available or if there is anything that you can do to help his program come to fruition,” the sheriff said. Other needed items include a small tractor or rototiller.
Ideally, Smith said he would like to find someone who would agree to just loan him 2 to 2 1/2 acres of land for one growing season. But if that doesn’t happen, his backup plan is to seek permission to use some land near the Salvation Army and a nearby church, he said. A third option would be to obtain a large lot at the Community Garden, located just off Cessna Drive in the Columbus Municipal Airport area.
Those with questions, as well as those who would like to assist, can contact Smith at 812-603-0833.
