The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District has a lot of new faces, and a few you may recognize. We’ll be taking the next few weeks to introduce and re-introduce you to our wonderful team, share more about their role at the District, and a bit about each of them. The next feature in our Meet our Team series is Aretha Wimberly. Aretha is the newest member of the District team, she joined as a GACD District Program Assistant for the Albany area in March of 2020. Before moving to Albany, Aretha lived in Ft. Lauderdale where she worked as a program manager and code enforcement supervisor. As a GACD District Program Assistant, Aretha supports GACD duties for Area 3, supports with administrative duties in the Albany NRCS office, and directly supports the District’s Urban Agriculture Initiative Flint River Fresh. Read our interview with Aretha below!
Where are you originally from?
I was born in Pelham, Georgia but spent my early adolescence in the farming community of Baconton, Georgia. After my grandmother moved to Albany, it became my hometown for the holidays, vacations and family gatherings.
What impact to you hope to make as a part of the District?
My career has centered around public service. I bring my passion for connecting residents and stakeholders to resources and information through stellar customer service back home to Albany. It is exciting to return at a time when the area is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance in innovative and progressive planning for food production and community-focused alliances. I will use my years of experience in project coordination, public administration, administrative support, and community outreach to enhance the outcomes and deliverables of projects or programs as needed.
What inspires you to work in conservation?
My grandmother taught us the significance of appreciating the earth and nature's balance that sustains all life. I am inspired by the opportunity to learn more about how I can become a better environmental steward while being an integral part of the expert team that is connecting science, experience, information, and community needs together in a way that helps us make good on our promise to give our children the best future possible. I am especially inspired by the opportunity to reintroduce basic gardening and community food production systems back into underserved communities. Many Southwest Georgia communities have a history of daily lifestyles that embraced water and energy conservation and food production. I'd like to be a part of reemphasizing how right my grandmother's generation was when they taught to appreciate natural resources.
If you were a common Georgia crop, what would it be?
This is a hard one because Georgia farmers produce a wide variety of delicious and healthy crops. I do take pride in being referred to as a Georgia Peach. But, I would be a watermelon. The natural hydration from watermelons keep the body refreshed. It's also a natural diuretic that supports kidney functions. Like the watermelon, I like the idea that I am enjoyable and invigorating while delivering bonus benefits.
What could we find you doing on a typical Saturday afternoon?
Volunteering and attending community events are two of my favorite Saturday pastimes.
Anything else exciting that you’d like our supporters to know?
I am named after the unforgettable Queen of Soul and civil-rights advocate Aretha Franklin. But, I cannot hold a note if it were handed to me in a bucket! Along with her first name, I do have a passion to play my part in delivering the dream of a harmonious healthy community for everyone. This includes sharing information that gives a better understanding of how to make neighborhoods more resilient with a greater appreciation for the human impact on nature and wildlife habitats.