The resulting, nationally acclaimed 2006 book and traveling photo exhibit, "Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community," will be showcased at a special Reception with Gary Harwood and David Hassler on Thursday, February 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Laurel Lake Retirement Community, 200 Laurel Lake Drive in Hudson. The evening will include a presentation by the authors, a book signing, gallery preview and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public. Reservations can be made by calling 330-655-1435. The exhibit will be on display in the Laurel Lake Gallery throughout the month of February, open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The evening and exhibit are sponsored by Laurel Lake’s "Keys to a Sharp Mind" lifelong learning project, which is funded by a generous grant from The Reinberger Foundation.

"Growing Season: The Life of a Migrant Community" is set in the small rural town of Hartville, Ohio, located about 30 miles south of Kent State. At its core is the telling and personal photography of Gary Harwood, Kent State University photographer, who spent five years documenting the migrant workers, capturing everything from the hard work of the day to the joyous celebration of a birthday. Harwood takes readers deep into the lives of these legally documented Mexican citizens who come to Northeast Ohio every year to work at K.W. Zellers and Son Inc., the largest farm in the area. Through the beautifully written vignettes of David Hassler, program and outreach director for the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State, readers learn more about the life of the migrant community. A part of our American landscape, these people and the dedicated, caring group of volunteers who support them teach all of us about dignity and humanity.

"When I learned of the K.W. Zellers and Son farm and the work Kent State nursing and translation students were involved in at the Hartville Migrant Health Clinic, my interest was piqued," Harwood said. "I didn’t know this place existed. After finishing my assignment for Kent State in 2001, I decided to continue my work. I knew this was a special place – a community with a remarkable love of family and dedication to each other."

At the Migrant Health Clinic, Kent State nurse practitioner graduate students and faculty, along with other organizations, treat hundreds of workers – nearly 135 families each year. Classes for these students in the summer provide opportunities for them to interact with migrant clients and to enhance their understanding of Hispanic culture, health issues and concerns for migrant and seasonal farm workers. To help with communication, translation students from Kent State University’s Institute for Applied Linguistics also work at the clinic, providing interpreters for the clinic staff and its patients.

This unparalleled real-life experience not only benefits Kent State students, but also contributes to the betterment of the communities the university touches. It is just another example of Kent State’s commitment to the scholarship of engagement, a belief that conducting academic work in the real world can directly benefit communities.

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