This month we’re giving a shout out to intern-turned-volunteer, Kristen Wirkkala! We’d like to honor her most recent work with us, leading fall and winter-time horticultural therapy programming at Ethan Allen Residence, a nonprofit residential care facility for elders focusing on holistic practices and memory care. The program empowers seniors through gardening activities that enhance quality of life and health.
THANK YOU, KRISTEN, FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE!
What is your favorite memory from volunteering at Ethan Allen Residence this fall/winter?
What comes to mind more than one specific memory is just the way I feel when I leave there every week. I’ve arrived there many Monday mornings tired or bummed out for one reason or another, and left every time feeling lit up and overflowing with gratitude. Intergenerational connections and the wisdom of our elders is severely under-appreciated by our society. It is a powerful experience to get to work with these folks and learn a little bit about their stories. It’s especially rewarding to see how working with plants and getting their hands in the soil can bring out special memories from their childhood.
How do you feel your volunteering with VCGN makes a difference?
There is something innate in every single one of us that wants to be closer to nature. I am incredibly grateful to be able to share this experience with the seniors at EAR and see the smiles it brings to their faces each week.
Our work at VCGN is made possible thanks to the many volunteers who give their time to our gardens, special events, community outreach, and office-based efforts. THANK YOU!!
Click here to learn more ways to volunteer your time with VCGN.
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