Q: How do you ensure that 123 acres of streams, woodlands and wildflowers stay pristine, and more than 2,000 species of plants grow and thrive?
A: With the help of 270-plus volunteers, some of whom put in more than 100 hours of work per year.
Though Inniswood Metro Gardens has paid staff, its massive volunteer base plays a major role in keeping things running smoothly. Many of those staffers are seniors, and a good number are Westerville residents, too.
Volunteers automatically become members of the Inniswood Garden Society by committing to 40 hours of work a year, though many go far beyond 40 hours. It’s not uncommon to see volunteers eclipse 100 hours, and one in particular, Nancy Thomas, is close to reaching 300 hours.
Each new class of volunteers goes through a four-session training program in March.
“It’s a nice way to meet all of our new volunteers,” says Thomas. “It can be hard going into something new not knowing anyone, so it’s nice to be a friendly face.”
Volunteers aren’t expected to have any background in gardening; just an interest in it is enough. They come from all walks of life, says Char Steelman, public gardens manager for Inniswood.
“Volunteers can come and go as the please, and are given the freedom to volunteer in the gardens wherever they want to,” Steelman says.
Carol Cleaves, whose nametag includes a blue smiley face sticker to indicate she’s a new volunteer, enjoys working on a variety of jobs, ranging from weeding to setup of blue bird boxes to upkeep of the roses. Don Farrow is another volunteer who cherishes his time in the gardens.
“No active sports or pets are allowed in the garden areas, which creates such a peaceful environment to reflect on all the beautif
ul nature that surrounds us,” Farrow says.
Joey Thomas, no relation to Nancy, enjoys the creative side of volunteering. He creates a variety of unique floral arrangements that can be seen all around the park’s Innis House.
“We enjoy growing a variety of plants in the gardens to show all the visitors that they can grow the same beautiful plants in the soil at their homes,” says Joey Thomas.
Volunteers are involved in everything that goes on at the gardens. They give their time on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that the gardens stay in pristine condition all year long. They show up to work even if it’s dreary and drizzling, and aren’t afraid to get down and dirty in the garden.
Those interested in learning more about the volunteer program should call 614-895-6226.
Jeanne Cantwell is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
