When Scroggs Construction took on the Veterans Healing Farm stage project, we knew it was about more than construction — it reflected the same community-first commitment we bring to every project we build. On any given day at the Veterans Healing Farm (VHF) in Mills River, you might find a Marine tending beehives, a former Army medic harvesting ashwagandha, or a retired Navy chief weeding a garlic patch.
The nonprofit, founded in 2013, was created to support the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of veterans and their families through agritherapy. Here, healing happens through movement and shared purpose rather than through formal counseling sessions. Veterans plant vegetables, care for flowers, process medicinal herbs, and distribute thousands of pounds of produce back into the community each year.
Now, thanks to a partnership with Scroggs Construction Services, the farm has a new covered outdoor performance stage that will serve as a hub for events, workshops, and community gatherings.
Completed by the Scroggs team earlier this spring, the amphitheater-style structure stretches 26 feet wide and 16 feet deep, creating an open-air venue for everything from acoustic concerts to military ceremonies. Alan Yeck, executive director of VHF, says the stage will be a central hub for programming on the property.
“Beyond entertainment, it creates a platform for veterans to share their stories, build confidence, and reconnect with the community in a meaningful, supportive environment,” Alan says.
What makes the project especially meaningful is how quickly it came together.
For many nonprofits, projects like these remain stuck in a planning file—something hoped for, but difficult to prioritize while balancing daily operational needs. Alan estimates a traditionally funded version of the project could have taken one to three years to complete and cost upwards of $45,000 to $50,000.
“Realistically, it likely wouldn’t have happened in the near term,” Alan says. “Without a partner like Scroggs, the farm would have needed to divert time and energy into fundraising, sourcing materials, coordinating contractors, and managing construction, pulling focus away from direct support for veterans.”
Instead, the project moved from concept to completion in a matter of weeks.
The process began when Alan shared inspiration images with the Scroggs team. From there, Lead Architectural Designer Aaron Steen developed an amphitheater-style covered stage. Then, crews got to work.
Delmar Hobkirk, project consultant at Scroggs, says six team members spent four days building the structure, totaling roughly 32 hours of construction time. On an additional Saturday, around 20 employees and family members volunteered to help complete the project and assist with other improvements around the farm, including flooring, trim work, paneling, and additional finishing touches on nearby structures.
The stage project also received significant support from 84 Lumber, which donated all the lumber and hardware for the build; Best Buy Metals, which donated roofing materials; and Ridge Roofing, which completed the roof installation.
For Delmar, a retired U.S. Navy chief petty officer who served for more than 20 years, the project resonated on a deeply personal level.
“As someone who served, being able to support an organization like this—and seeing the impact it has on service members and their families—is incredibly humbling,” he says. “I feel incredibly fortunate to be a small part of it.”
For the Healing Farm’s Alan Yeck, the stage is a reminder of what can happen when local businesses invest their time, resources, and expertise back into the community.
“It’s more than a donation—it’s a statement of belief in the mission,” says Alan. “When a partner like Scroggs Construction Services contributes expertise, labor, and coordination, it sends a powerful message that the work being done at the farm matters.”