The morning of June 7th, eight PRESENCE co-workers from the Pacific Northwest participated in the third annual Washington Park Arboretum volunteer day. The arboretum is 230 acres nestled up on the west shore of Lake Washington, jointly managed by the University of Washington botanical gardens and the City of Seattle.
Opened to the public in 1933, contains more than 13,000 plants, some found nowhere else in the Northwest. In 1934, the Arboretum Foundation was formed to raise funds, and it is almost exclusively maintained by volunteers. A popular spot for cyclists, walkers and runners, the park offers tours, a gift shop, rest area, educational resources, all located at the Graham Visitor Center.
The grounds around the visitor center were the focus of our digging, pulling, snipping, and pruning this year. Early June, being a typically cool time of year in Seattle, offered us an upper 80-degree day. We labored (and sweated) yet still enjoyed conversational catch up and camaraderie. Master Gardener Roy, was present again this year, to help guide, educate, answer questions, and keep us from overheating in unseasonably warm temperatures. In the end, we accumulated almost 4 cubic yards of weeds and other unwanted greens, leaving the Graham Visitor Center grounds better than we found it.
We’re once again grateful for the opportunity to give back to our beautiful northwest, while enjoying a bit of physical activity, quality connections with one another and good snacks. So much so, some are considering scheduling another volunteer time early fall. Thank you to Volunteer Coordinator Lily and Roy, for your leadership and good company. Hope to see you soon.
Those in attendance: Chris Spencer-Cooke, Ayn Quan, Terri Steiner, Jeny Throm, Brandi Brackman, Amber Spencer, Ashley Knott, Tonja Otey.
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