NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. - TelAve -- An eclectic new addition adorns the grounds of ECHO, created due to the effects of Hurricane Ian. The 6-foot-tall sculpture depicting planet earth was made from scrap metal gathered after the storm slammed Southwest Florida in September 2022.

Several students at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and their art professor, Steve Hughart, came together to create the stunning artwork that now sits in a demonstration garden at ECHO, the non-profit that teaches small-scale, sustainable farming methods to families around the world so they can provide for themselves and their communities.

After the Category 4 storm passed, much of the debris that was left was broken metal, some of which was gathered by the students and professor. Creating the sculpture was a creative outlet for the students to work together, taking five weeks to complete a symbol that represents ECHO's hope against hunger.

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"We are honored to have received this beautiful piece of artwork for our campus," said ECHO CEO Abram Bicksler. "It signifies what we are all about, empowering hungry families with knowledge and skills to help themselves out of hunger and poverty."

ABOUT ECHO

ECHO provides hope against hunger around the globe through agricultural training and resources. As a Christian technical networking and resourcing organization, ECHO builds a diverse, global network and serves that network by sharing validated contextualized agricultural options with technical excellence. ECHO's goal is to serve its network members to advance food security and sustainable livelihoods. ECHO's North American Regional Impact Center is located in Fort Myers, Florida with a global presence through four Regional Impact Centers in the USA, Thailand, Tanzani, and Burkina Faso. For more information about ECHO call 239-543-3246 or visit echonet.org or ECHOcommunity.org.