COMMUNITY GARDEN VOLUNTEERING

A couple weeks ago I went to volunteer at a local community garden.  I found out about this garden from a local TV station which I don't usually watch.

This is a big undertaking by a retired city Parks & Recreation landscaper who planted grass on the city parks and recreation facilities.

It's a third of an acre.  After they had plowed over the remaining plants from last year, we had the pleasure of relaying the irrigation drip hoses.  There must have been 50 lines to lay back in, but there were about 10 people in attendance volunteering, so it went pretty fast.  Next is putting up additional fencing inside the already 8 1/2 foot fencing surrounding the third of an acre.

The actual planting of the seeds and small plants will take place next month.

Although I wore my ankle high hiking boots, which are waterproof, my white socks got so dirty that soaking them in bleach and laundry detergent didn't really help that much to get them back to almost white which is what I expected them to.  So they will be my sacrificed socks I will wear in the future for this job.  I've thought of buying high rubber boots, but I don't think their price will justify the purchase, because I believe, once all of this pre-planting work is done, it's just a matter of planting the plants and we'll be working on the walkways that are planned.

The problem with this church organization is that they never return your phone calls or e-mails.  Sooooo frustrating.  I wanted to volunteer last year, left my name and number and they never called me.  So this year in March I went down to the church and talked to someone and they did contact me.  However, I wanted to document this whole process of this garden, e-mailed who I thought was the appropriate person, and, of course, no one ever returned my e-mail.  I told the person in charge and she said to send it to someone.  Well, that's never going to happen.  I forgot who it was and now it's too late to get the complete process from start to finish.  I'll probably take some photos.  Someone did take some photos with a phone and said they're on Facebook, but who knows where on Facebook.  So unorganized.  Wait, have I become anal retentive? 

The leader brought about three dozen doughnuts and coffee for the volunteers.  Well, I haven't eaten a doughnut in so long, I did indulge in a custard filled, chocolate topped one during a break.  After I ate it, I felt I had a heavy weight in my stomach.  I believe it would have been better to bring maybe a fresh fruit bowl and maybe punch to drink.  The leader was way overweight and I knew where she was coming from.  That lifestyle of fast foods and doughnuts for breakfast.  Hey, once and a while...OK, but I believe this was her way of life.  Again, another pretty, young girl, morbidly obese.

Of course, there's always one in the group that thinks they're the boss and just stands there giving orders.  I just ignored her.  But everybody else put their heart and sole and a lot of physical energy into the job. 

There was also a young girl, probably about 12 years old.  I believe she was ADD or one of those disorders where she was on borderline annoying with constantly talking to everyone saying weird things.  When she talked to me, I just went along with her, knowing there was something a bit off kilter with her.  It seemed she craved having friends or making them and was in your face all the time.  But with as many people that were there, it wasn't too bad.  I felt sorry for her in a way, because her social skills at that age were not all there.  Hopefully she'll grow into a fully socially accepted individual.  Cute kid and always willing to work.  She did mostly gopher work, like getting the pins to hold down the irrigation hoses for all of us.  She was a great help doing that and so willing to accommodate anything we asked her to help us with.  I look forward to working with her again.  She had an uplifting personality, happy and she was well articulated.  That's who and what I need in my life now.  Young thoughts, happy thoughts, not what I usually hear where I live; always talking about their illnesses and what their doctors say.  Ugh!

Anywho, looking forward to our next get together.