Gardening Season Is Back! Volunteers Needed

Holy Name Pollinator Garden – Volunteers Needed

Dear Volunteers,

Many of you are newly signed up for this ministry to care for the Pollinators Garden, and we are excited to begin together. Caring for the garden is more than a task—it is a meaningful way to deepen our relationship with Creation. Through tending the land and nurturing plant life, we encounter the sacred presence of God in a very real and personal way. The gardens—and our care for them—are a reflection of this shared calling.

During the summer 2026 absence of Sister Mary-Ellen Francouer, I will be your volunteers communication and scheduling coordinator.

Greetings! My name is Asha, a new-ish member of the Parish community. I have a real passion for gardening, and I’m excited to connect with all of you—especially as we come together at the Pollinators Garden at Holy Name 🌱

🌱 Getting Started: Action Required

To begin our journey together, you are warmly invited to use the SIGN_UP SHEET and mark your availability.

🌿 How the Ministry Works

Volunteers typically sign up one week at a time, approximately once a month. During your chosen week, you are free to visit the garden at times that suit you. Responsibilities include:

Watering (water is always accessible—no need to contact anyone)
Weeding
Keeping the garden clean and free from debris
Maintaining the sense of the garden as a peaceful, sacred space

🤝 Coordination and Communication

As I've mentioned earlier, I will be serving as your volunteer coordinator and main point of contact. I'll be using email pollinatorsgarden@gmail.com Please feel free to reach out if you:

Have questions
Need to change your assigned week
Would like additional guidance or resources

We may also explore opportunities to connect with experienced gardeners within our wider community, if anyone is interested, please let me know.

Once again, thank you for stepping forward in this ministry. Your care for the garden helps nurture not only the earth, but also a deeper sense of spiritual connection and community.

With gratitude and appreciation,
Asha
Volunteer, Volunteers Coordinator
Pollinator Garden Ministry at Holy Name Parish
“For the Love of Creation” 🌿

Young Person Sought for a Summer Job Collaborating in Care for Pollinators

Through the parish pollinator garden, we have come to know Carrie Dohe, the Executive Director of Bees for Peace. Carrie offered a wonderful presentation to the parish a couple of summers ago. She will be in Toronto in the last weeks of July, and would like a young person (late teens, early twenties) to assist her. If you would love to learn more about pollinators and pollinator gardening, this would be a fun and enriching experience. A grant from Canada Works would offer remuneration.

All of Carrie’s work is faith-connected, designed to respond to the needs and spirit of multifaith, multicultural communities. Carrie also sees this relationship with pollinators as peacebuilding. Over two weeks in July, you would collaborate with Carrie in offering a Summer Camp for children, offering workshops and teaching to interested communities, and establishing pollinator gardens in these communities.

If interested, please email Carrie Dohe - info@beesforpeace.org. Thank you.