Dig It! and Dig In!

By Marypat Ehlmann
Member-at-Large and Volunteer Coordinator

2016 Greenscape Gardens tabling event: Fran Glass (left) with Marypat Ehlmann (right)

During 2017, many Wild Ones members helped to spread the word about native plants, about benefits to pollinators and wildlife from gardens growing native plants, and about the good news of the St Louis Chapter of Wild Ones. They did this by volunteering at our information table at various area events. Members who volunteered were recognized at our Monthly Gathering last November.

Volunteers willing to fill needed slots one to three times last year for shifts at our information table were: Judy Allen, April Anderson, Audrey Anderson, Marlene Becker, Renee Benage, Bill Bennett, Linda Bennett, Joyce Borgmeyer, Pat Borgwald, Carol Boschart, Wes Boschart, Barbara Brain, Fred Burk, Christine Carroll, Mitch Cordover, Sherry Ann  Cordover, Jackie Corn, Sherri DeRousse, Savannah Furman, Chris Garhart, Joan Gray, Andy Guti, Alan Hopefl, Anne Rankin Horton,  Joan Hummel, Larry Hummel, Kathy Juzenas, Pete Klarman, Susan Lammert, Andy Leahy, Diana Linsley, Rob May, Karen Meyer, Kathee Morgeson, Mike Morgeson, Kevin Mowery, Diana Oleskevich, Susan Orr, Dan Pearson, Bob Pickard, Cathy Pickard, Susan Reed, AnaGrace Schactman, Besa Schweitzer, Jane Schaefer, Ed Schmidt, Melissa Slagle, Amby Stevenson, Betty Struckhoff, Linda Tatum, Dave Tylka, Tessa Wasserman, and Nancy Zander

Members who were willing and able to give four or more volunteer times at tabling events include: Kathy Bildner, Susan Burk, Ann Early, Marypat Ehlmann, James Faupel, Joan Featherston, Marsha Gebhardt, Fran Glass, Penny Holtzmann, Ginny Johnson, Sue Leahy, Marcia Myers, Bob Siemer, Jana Wade, and Dawn Weber

As we begin this new year of 2018, we again will need many members to fill open slots helping out at our information table at the many events where we will be participating.

Education about native plants is our main goal. Wild Ones is a national not-for-profit landscaping organization – with local chapters like ours – that teaches about the many benefits of growing native plants in home gardens and yards.

• • Acquaint people with the concept and benefits of landscaping with native plants from your experience.
  • Familiarize people with Wild Ones using our three-panel display board which explains what our St. Louis chapter does and why we do it and let people know about our local upcoming Wild Ones’ gatherings.
  • Answer questions as best as possible and refer people to sources of information available at our table from several different brochures.

Fran Glass volunteering at the tabling event during Earth Day

Willingness to talk with people is the most needed asset rather than a vast knowledge of natives plants. We are all in the learning mode.

Our first tabling event this year is the Preseason Gardening Expo at Rolling Ridge Nursery in Webster Groves on Saturday, February 10, 2018. The Expo goes from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The theme is to encourage others to grow, learn, and inspire.

This year perhaps you will choose to volunteer at tabling events because the events are near where you live. Perhaps it is a way to share some time with good gardening friends. Or perhaps you will choose because you want to get outside and learn more yourself.  Whatever your reason is, please add your energy by volunteering at an upcoming event. The theme – grow, learn, and inspire – can be your goal whenever the native gardening bug bites, and you are willing to share more about the abundant world of native plants!

Although the volunteer spots for this tabling event are filled at this time, watch for many more upcoming volunteer tabling and other events. You can sign-up online from the Dig In! tab on our website.