‘Pass it on.’ Columbus man shares lessons from his youth to empower kids and provide food
Columbus native Ronzell Buckner, 78, has lived in Columbus his entire life.
Buckner graduated from Carver High School in 1964 amid U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He’d just gotten married to his first wife, Barbara, who died after 26 years of marriage.
At the time, Buckner considered joining the military like many of his classmates. He worked at a barbershop learning the craft from his mentor, Mr. Lee. His mentor advised him not to join the military, but to focus on a skilled trade to build a business.
“After getting tutored under Mr. Lee, it taught me the importance of helping young people to get a focus and define their spot in life,” Buckner said.
When Buckner later opened his first business, Yvette’s Beauty Salon, he remembered Mr. Lee’s impact on him as a young man. The memory inspired him to mentor and teach other young barbers.
This began a lifelong mission of mentoring young people in Columbus and becoming an activist. He created a grassroots organization called Turn Around Columbus, which led to a community farm too.
Still in operation, the organization works with the city of Columbus to help teach at-risk youth about agriculture and business. He founded it in 2005.
Along with Turn Around Columbus, Buckner expanded his business pursuits by entering the restaurant industry. He opened Skippers Seafood Market & Deli on Buena Vista Road about 20 years ago.
Although the restaurant closed earlier this year because of unintended consequences of a long-term Georgia Department of Transportation project, the experience showed Buckner saw another opportunity to create positive change.
“I started looking more into food,” he said. “And I (saw) a lot of people can’t afford healthy food, so what I’m going to do is basically try to get a farm started.”
Buckner approached the Muscogee County School District superintendent to get approval for his programs and soon began building George Washington Carver Victory Garden & Farm.
Every weekend, kids from middle school through college work on the farm as part of a program through Turn Around Columbus.
Students are paid $7.25 an hour. They typically work on the farm for about four hours on Saturdays during the school year, and Monday through Saturday during the summer.
During the summer, the program also arranges fun social activities for the students, such as pool parties and fishing trips.
“Some of them have never seen a chicken with an egg,” Buckner said. “They’ve never seen a chicken sit on an egg. They’ve never seen a potato in the ground and then dug it up.”
The fresh food grown at the farm is free to the community. If someone wants to help, they can donate. But the farm doesn’t charge anyone for food.
“If you know someone who needs help with food, tell them we’ve got kids out here on George Washington Carver Victory Garden that can help,” Buckner said.
He believes mentoring kids and helping to provide healthy food for his community is a way to pass on the lessons his mentor, Mr. Lee, taught him. Mr. Lee would be thankful that Buckner wasn’t “selfish” with what was given to him as a young man, he said.
“I tell my kids that come on this farm to not be selfish with what we’re doing and what we’re showing you,” Buckner said. “Pass it on.”
How community can help
Buckner welcomes donations or volunteers. Those interested can find more information on his website.
