Parish Gardeners Share Stewardship Gifts to Keep Our Outdoor Spaces Beautiful
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ince 1999, Carol Zellmer has handled the flowers and outdoor upkeep at Nativity. As she says, “the weeds don’t stop growing” — but Carol has the same persistence as the weeds, as she continues the important work of keeping the outdoor spaces at Nativity looking beautiful. Carol takes care of cleaning up leaves, weeding, tree trimming, and planting flowers. Another dedicated parishioner does the lawn mowing, and Carol sometimes hires youth to help her with the bigger projects. After Mother’s Day, she plants flowers. She’s proud to say there’s something blooming each season in the outdoor spaces. The weed pulling also keeps her busy throughout the summer. “If we all find something we enjoy and do it, all the work gets done,” she says. “I enjoy being outside doing yard work.” The work is hard, but Carol doesn’t think of it that way. She loves the sense of pride she feels when everything is looking beautiful. For her, Nativity is home, and we need to treat
it the same way we treat our own homes. At. St. Joseph, a devoted group led by Toni Grissinger keeps St. Joseph looking equally as beautiful. There are several workdays in the spring where all parishioners are invited to help with various outdoor tasks. Like Carol, Toni also feels a sense of pride when everything is done and loves to admire the beauty of it all. She is glad to play a small part in the beauty of St. Joseph’s. “When someone is visiting or considering joining, you want it to look nice,” Toni says. “When it’s all looking good, it makes people feel more welcome here.” In particular, Toni loves the peaceful nature of outdoor work. In turn, she feels this ministry gives her time with our Lord in prayer and quietness. Carol and Toni are always looking for volunteers to help keep the outdoor spaces looking beautiful, even if a person can only give just a little time — every little bit helps! “If people want to come to pull weeds somewhere, they are welcome to do that anytime,” Toni says.
The Jared and Anne Schuster family, St. Joseph
Carol Zellmer and Tom Russo, Nativity
If you would like to get involved in the outdoor work at Nativity, please contact Carol Zellmer at 440-935-2310 or dmk0259@centurytel.net. If you would like to get involved at St. Joseph, please contact Toni Grissinger 440-988-2892 or toni7482@oh.rr.com. page 6
