The Heart of Hatcher: Volunteers

by Dan Shook, Garden Manager

“Every visit to Hatcher Garden is full of changes and additions.” This is a quote from a regular visitor to our wonderful woodland garden. Within the last year, we have built a stone bridge and a creek extending our pond system over one-hundred feet, repaired a bridge, and begun construction on an activities deck. We have planted trees around our front lawn and visited schools throughout the city to teach students about nature and our natural environment and have grown and sold plants through our nursery. 

The secret ingredient is our volunteer corps.  Hatcher Garden is blessed with an energetic and positive group of volunteers that, with their hands and hearts, move this garden forward in the tradition that Mr. Hatcher began many years ago.  All the above projects have been and continue to be volunteer built. 

The stone bridge over the creek involved over 35 volunteers ranging in age from 6 to 84! We have children who can tell you how to mix and place rocks in a wall. One young lady reminded me that she helped to lay the block below ground level for the concrete pouring around the pipe under the bridge.

Volunteering in the Garden allows us to meet all our mission goals which are exercise, respite, and education both for our volunteers and our visitors. Why volunteer at Hatcher Garden? Because we have fun, learn, and whatever you invest in this garden, it will return to you many blessings. Contact us for opportunities to move Hatcher Garden forward.