The Workcamp committee installed plantings for new homeowner, Sandra, at her home in southside Richmond, on June 2. The mission of this committee is:
The Workcamp Committee at Richmond Friends Meeting seeks to act on the Quaker belief that there is that of God in every person. We believe that working cooperatively can put us in touch with that deeper spirit. We seek to do physical work in the spirit of love. Working with a homeowner, we will devise a plan for the yard. With the homeowner, we will plant shrubs and flowers. We
have found that working together enhances relationships, which is our deeper mission. We believe that working with others in our community has tremendous potential to build relationships and reduce misunderstanding.
Sandra is a new homeowner recommended by HOME (Housing Opportunities Made Equal). Meeting with two committee members, Anne Gray and
Barbara Myers, a week in advance, we planned a small vegetable garden (tomatoes and okra) for Sandra’s sunny back yard and hydrangeas, azalea, and small hollies for the front of her brick house. It was a warm sunny day, and committee members Wendy Wadsworth (co-clerk), Barbara Myers (co-clerk), Anne Gray, Anna Best, Anne Atkins, Carolyn Moul, Mark Perry, Paul Kvam, and Al Best dug up the grass and installed the new plantings. A flat of begonias and a deep covering of mulch provided the finishing touch to the new garden. We had a picnic lunch in the shade and celebrated the new look of Sandra’s yard. Sandra later wrote to us, “I love my lawn. My family, friends, and neighbors have all expressed how beautiful my lawn looks. Thanks sooo much for your hard work and kindness. May God bless you all for being thoughtful and loving neighbors.”