Appalachian State University names Mountain Mission Farms

Community Partner of the Year 2001 - 2002

Appalachian State University's ACT Program (Appalachian and the Community Together), the University's service learning and community service department, announced that at its annual service recognition awards reception, April 12th, 2002,  that Mountain Mission Farms, a model Eco-Village and sustainable agriculture farm, was awarded the distinguished "Community Partner of the Year" award.  This honor is given the top local organization that partners with ASU in providing service/ learning opportunities through student internships and volunteer work days.  In addition two MMF volunteers were recognized as nominees for top slots as Outstanding Student Volunteer and Outstanding Faculty/Staff Volunteer. 

Since the inception of this project over 500 student volunteers, primarily from ASU and Caldwell Community College, have worked on-site.  They have been involved in planning, research, web site building, land clearing, planting bushes and fruit trees, and construction.  This project has allowed them to learn about the environmental and fossil fuel problems we face and participate in a hands-on opportunity to do something positive to change our buying and living habits and protect our pristine environment.   Mountain Mission Farms Eco-Village hopes to be an ecological model that can be replicated in other parts of the country and the world.

Gerald Tygielski, founder of Mountain Mission Farms, feels that the partnership of ASU, its students, and his project will have world-changing consequences.  He explains, "Students who can create innovative solutions and find alternatives to diminishing resources will chart the course for our future.  We hope to be catalyst in creating those leaders.  We are sharing ideas that will leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren."    Click here for full acceptance speech.

Jim Warren was nominated and selected as Appalachian State University's Outstanding Faculty/Staff Volunteer of the Year.  Jim worked with MMF during the summer of 2001 after receiving his Masters Degree in Institutional Management.   Unemployed and seeking a permanent position, Jim decided to fill his spare time in public service.  He went to the ACT Office at ASU and asked them where he might be of help.  Jim spent almost a month at MMF helping to dig and install drain lines, put up sheet metal in the farm's storage building,and anything else he was asked to do.  Click here for presentation speech.