By Manda Barger • Photos Provided By Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Retirement is often synonymous with relaxation, travel, and reaping in the benefits of decades of hard work. As time marches on, it can also bring a search for community. Wes Krupiczewicz of Louisville found that meant going back to his roots and becoming a volunteer.
When Krupiczewicz retired from his career in chemical engineering, he fulfilled his initial plans- enjoyed time with family, traveled, etc. He then considered what’s next. Gardening had always been a part of his life since he grew up on a farm in Michigan. He also enjoyed the outdoors while visiting Yew Dell Botanical Gardens. He told me, “After I retired, I knew I needed to continue that passion, so I called Yew Dell and said ‘hey, I want to volunteer.’”
It didn’t take long for Krupiczewicz to see that volunteering did more than exercise his green thumb, it revealed a community. He said, “one of the things that happens after you retire from work, you lose a significant social community. When the work disappears, a lot of those friendships drift apart quickly. So, you need to establish relationships with people that are interested in doing what you’re doing.”
This is a similar story for many of Yew Dell’s “core” volunteers- people who dedicate their time on a weekly or monthly basis in the gardens. The majority of this group is made of older adults giving back while also receiving so much in return. Multiple sources from Johns Hopkins University to AARP credit volunteering for improving physical health and brain function while reducing depression and isolation. Amanda Allred is the Volunteer and Website Coordinator at Yew Dell and sees how all the stakeholders benefit from volunteering. She adds, “Volunteers offer so much more than manual labor; they bring curiosity, expertise, friendships, dedication, and joviality to every shift.”
Volunteering offers a great way for older adults to get active, continue their purpose, and discover new friendships. As Krupiczewicz describes, “when I’m working in my yard, I’m alone- other than with the bugs and birds and weeds. When I’m volunteering out at Yew Dell, I’ve got people around me that I can chit chat with and share experiences and share the garden with.”
Krupiczewicz uses his skills to volunteer in various roles at Yew Dell- from weeding to giving tours. Organizations like Yew Dell often offer a variety volunteer options. Allred also participates in the Kentuckiana Association for Volunteer Admin istration (KAVA), a network of volunteer administrators in the region. She says, “Most every nonprofit organization has ways to get involved that may not be apparent on the surface. At Yew Dell, that may mean stuffing envelopes, assembling signs, leading tours, serving on committees, or bringing magic to the Fairy Forest. If an organization’s mission speaks to you, but you don’t see an obvious way to get involved- ask! You may be surprised at the doors that open.”
Krupiczewicz adds there is one last benefit to volunteering in the gardens- seeing Yew Dell’s growth throughout the years. He adds, “To me, gardening is not a short term, one year commitment. It’s a life-long obsession. So, I like seeing all the changes that are happening in the gardens.”
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens will resume its regular season for volunteers in March. You can learn more but visiting: yewdellgardens.org/volunteer