Volunteer Spotlight for November 3, 2008

By Megan Smolarek, a Volunteer for United Way of Inner Wisconsin

• Name: Edie Behm

• Nominating Agency: Edgewater Haven

• Residence: Town of Saratoga

• Hobbies and Interests: Gardening at her home and volunteering – been volunteering at Edgewater for over 10 years

The Serenity Garden at Edgewater Haven Nursing Home in Port Edwards is truly a work of art. Not only bringing joy to the residents and visitors alike, the garden reflects the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Edie Behm.

Behm, a Master Gardener and member of the Wood County Master Gardener Association (MGA), has spent the last four years planning, planting and maintaining this beautiful site.

“My favorite part about volunteering at Edgewater is all of the people who are so pleased to see the garden,” Behm said. “It is more job satisfaction than anything else on Earth.”

Started in 2004, the Serenity Garden has been an extraordinary effort by volunteers throughout the community. Stemming from what used to be a small garden, the Serenity Garden has grown to be a magnificent site filled with more life than one could imagine.

In the beginning, Wood County MGA volunteers spent a lot of time writing grant requests and organizing the paperwork. This dream garden finally became a reality with a lot of help from Behm and other volunteers in the community.

“The garden is planted each spring, weeded and watered throughout the summer and put to bed in the fall,” Behm said. Make a Difference Day, this past Oct. 25^th, marked the last day for the 2008 Serenity Garden.

The purpose of the garden is to not only be visually stunning, but to appeal to the other senses as well. “The goal of the garden is to be interesting for the residents. We plant a lot of old-fashioned flowers to bring back memories from home. There is so much to see, touch, smell and taste,” Behm said. “We had fabulous blueberries this year!”

Including a fountain, the Serenity Garden offers both peace and tranquility to the residents and visitors at Edgewater Haven. The time and effort Edie has spent maintaining and organizing the garden is truly appreciated by all who have spent even a moment there.

Amy Slattery, Acting Administrator at Edgewater Haven, describes Edie as “a wonderful person who so diligently spends her time making the Serenity Garden what it is today. She does everything from watering to pulling weeds to organizing other volunteer groups to come in and maintain the garden. She has done so many wonderful things for us.”

The Serenity Garden was featured during this year’s Garden Walk, a celebration of beautiful gardens and tremendous gardening talents throughout the area. It offered other members of the community not familiar with the Serenity Garden a chance to see the hard work and dedication put into something so rewarding.

Between volunteering for her church, the Neighborhood Table and at the Family Center, Behm keeps herself busy helping others. “She [Edie] has done so many positive things for us and for others. The Serenity Garden is truly a joy and we are blessed to have it here,” said Slattery.

With the snow starting to fly and the garden put to rest for another year, residents at Edgewater and members of the community alike will have to wait another winter for the Serenity Garden to bloom again.

It may be a lot of hard work, but,as Behm puts it, “it truly is its own reward.”

The Volunteer Spotlight is a monthly feature.  If your non-profit organization has an outstanding volunteer, or group of volunteers, and would like to make a nomination, please call United Way of Inner Wisconsin’s Volunteer Center at 715-421-0390.  This feature is written by - and photographed by - volunteers!