Gardening Season Is Back! Volunteers Needed
A Heartfelt Thank You for Our Pollinator Garden Volunteers for July and August
Dear Pollinator Garden Volunteers,
As August begins to wind down, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for the time, energy, and care you have given to the Holy Name Pollinator Garden July and August. Your dedication has helped create a beautiful space that nourishes bees, butterflies, birds, and so many other creatures that are part of God's creation.
While the busiest season is behind us, a little care is still needed through September to help the garden thrive as it prepares for the months ahead. Every bit of watering, weeding, and tending continues to make a meaningful difference.
Please take a moment to check the volunteer sign-up for September and review if the time you signed-up still works for you. Even occasional visits help ensure the garden remains healthy and welcoming for the many pollinators and other small creatures that depend on it.
We are deeply grateful for your generosity and stewardship. Through God's providence, the garden provides beauty for our community and home for the many little creatures that share this space with us. Thank you for helping care for this special corner of creation and for answering God's call to be caretakers of the gifts He has entrusted to us.
We are also looking forward to the return of Sister Mary-Ellen and the opportunity to hear her stories firsthand. It will be a joy to welcome her back and learn from her experiences.
Thank you again for All you do. May God bless you and your families. Enjoy the sunshine and what is left of the Summer warmth!
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Holy Name Pollinator Garden – Volunteers Needed
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.
🌱 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.
