Active•Fit participant Dagan Ricketts is growing in more than one way with the help of the 6th Street Community Garden. Ten-year-old Dagan and his father, David Ricketts, started their first garden this summer. Together, they have maintained it every day – planting, weeding and harvesting a variety of fresh foods. They were inspired to start their garden after family friend Kathy Powell and her fiancé Shaun Sommer, planted a few peppers and tomatoes in their backyard.

“I’ve never seen anyone take to gardening like these two,” Kathy said. “Dagan and David have put in a lot of hard work and sweat this summer, and it’s paying off. They haven’t had any trouble with plants growing at all.”

Dagan has his own plot in the 6th Street and Growing Community Gardens, just a few houses down from the Ricketts’ home. The organization provides community members with plots of land, garden tools and a few seeds to get started. The 6th Street location has served as an informal community garden for local residents since 1995, and in 2009, community members created the formal location, “6th Street and Growing Community Gardens,” and a supporting nonprofit organization. Use of garden plots is free to gardening members, and donations help pay for tools, water and tilling.

Dagan decided to plant corn, lettuce, pumpkins, tomatoes and two types of squash in his garden this year. He said his favorite part has been watching the plants turn from seeds into full-grown produce that he and his family can eat. “I’ve never eaten acorn squash, so I’m really excited to try that,” Dagan said. “And (pointing to his tomato plants) I think that tomato on the end is going to turn red – it will be my first red tomato!”

Dagan and Kathy attended the Active•Fit Bowling event, where Dagan realized he was already accomplishing a majority of the goals he could set in the program. The goal Dagan is most proud of is his garden. As a new participant in the Active•Fit Program, Dagan finalized his goals for Period 3, and has completed almost everything on his list.

Since its inception in 2012, the Active•Fit Youth Wellness Program has offered Licking County youth, ages 6 to 12, with an opportunity to set and track goals related to healthy living. The program also offers free, fun health-related events throughout the year. Those who complete their goals are entered into a prize drawing at the end of each 4-month period.

“We’ve been doing different things every Friday – like taking bike rides or going on walks,” Dagan said. “The only goals I haven’t done yet are to wash the car three times and pack a healthy picnic. If I win a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card as an Active•Fit prize, I already know I’ll choose a punching bag to go with the boxing gloves I have!”

Along with their Friday activities, Dagan and his family are trying to eat a healthier diet, especially when they can gather ingredients from their garden. Dagan said he tried green tomatoes and squash for the first time this summer, and has used the lettuce for salads several times already. These activities allowed Dagan to check off his Active•Fit goals such as: “enjoy an active outing with your family once a week,” and “try a new fruit or vegetable.”

Neither David nor Dagan knew much about gardening before this summer’s experience, but with the help of Kathy, Shaun and the 6th Street and Growing organization, they’ve created a successful garden. Kathy said Dagan’s garden recently received a compliment from the Mayor of Newark, Jeff Hall, who took a tour of the 6th Street plot. Dagan is already planning for next year’s garden, where he will plant watermelon and green beans, and arrange his corn around the outside of his plot to create a walkway.

For more information, or to register for the Active•Fit Youth Wellness Program at any time throughout the year, please visit www.ActiveFit.org.