Planting positivity

An unkempt rear corner of the Five Towns Community Center grounds, known primarily as a hangout for drug dealers and users, has been transformed into a garden sporting tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, basil, eggplant, corn and peppers, as well as hanging and planted flowers. There are also two barbecue grills and a horseshoe pit.

“I want it to service the community,” said Patty Vacchio, an Inwood resident. Vacchio and her son, Danny, established Embracing Noble Values for Young People, or eNVy, a Lawrence-based nonprofit, after another son, Nick, a 2006 graduate of Lawrence Woodmere Academy, died in 2011, at age 24, after struggling with a range of mental illnesses.

The organization, whose unique acronym highlights Nick’s initials, aims to empower young people by providing them with the tools to be successful through motivational programs and scholarship opportunities.

After eNVy acquired office space at the community center in March, Vacchio received approval from its board of directors to revitalize the property. The work on what she dubbed the “Garden of eNVy” began in late April. Vacchio said that about 10 people helped clean up the area and do the planting. A sign has not yet been erected, and another horseshoe pit will be built. A tournament is planned for later this month.

“Patty Vacchio is an amazing woman,” said Pete Sobol, also of Inwood, who has served on the community center’s board and is known for his civic involvement. “She turned a tragedy from the loss of her son into something that can become great for the community.”

Vacchio’s first, short-term goal was to stop young adults from lingering in the area, and she said she has noticed an improvement. “It really has come a long way,” she said, adding that the people who spend time there are receptive to the cleanup effort. “I’m just proud of it and have a lot of ideas for it.” One is for the garden to be incorporated into the curriculum of the Lawrence School District.

Sobol said that the support of the community center board and Executive Director Lorenzo Sistrunk has been invaluable to Vacchio’s project. “It’s a great partnership for the community center to have her, and her to have the community center,” Sobol said. The garden is not only a great location for producing vegetables, he added, but also a great place for people to sit and relax.