By Lauren Christensen, Denver Urban Gardens Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator
The beautiful Place Bridge Academy Community GardenAs the 2014 garden season comes to a close, we shine the volunteer spotlight on Jack Franssen, Master Community Gardener and garden leader at Place Bridge Academy Community Garden. In addition to taking on these roles, Jack also volunteers with our Free Seeds & Transplants program, one year famously delivering seeds to over ten distribution centers when a few other volunteers were unable to attend delivery day. His enthusiastic efforts ensured that hundreds of people received their seeds on time!
Jack began his journey with Denver Urban Gardens at the Beeler Street Community Garden, after he was encouraged to contact the garden leader there as he searched for volunteer opportunities. While gardening at Beeler, he met a gentleman wanting to start a new community garden, and, together, they worked with others in the community to start the garden that would become Place Bridge Academy Community Garden.
What Jack enjoys about being involved with Denver Urban Gardens is the idea of people learning to help themselves, as well as helping their neighbors. He loves getting to know new people and different cultures, and claims that many of the people he meets are better gardeners than he is (we doubt that, Jack!).
Jack also enjoys his Master Community Gardener presentations, saying that even though they sometimes wind up being about something different than he expected going into the presentation, he likes seeing how people respond to what he has to say, and has a water conservation presentation that he is especially proud of.
At DUG, we appreciate Jack because he is always willing to lend a helping hand and takes extra steps to make things run smoothly, such as meeting Dusty Martin, DUG’s Construction Manager, on site in the event of a water break at Place Bridge Academy Community Garden, with the area around the break already dug up, making the repair easier and faster. Jack also takes the time to attend many of our Garden Leader Round Tables to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with other garden leaders.
DUG appreciates Jack, and volunteers like him, who allow us to sustain and continue our work with the community!
Interested in learning more about volunteering with DUG? Click here!