Wednesday mornings at Mytoi a volunteer garden maintenance program is fortunate to have three young volunteers., Sarah Roden, Burke Hildner and Jack Kent.

To date they have spent 28 hours weeding, following the master gardener with wheelbarrows to pick up pruned branches, clearing the brook of overenthusiastic plants, searching for a camera which got accidentally dumped into the pond, and weeding the paths. Their only reward is heartfelt thank-yous and a walk to the bridge to coax the three snapping turtles to come for a visit (at a distance).

As volunteer coordinator Betty Trider noted, “This is a first for the garden, to have a group of three people aged 11 through 13 who display such enthusiasm. Burke said, “I like doing volunteer work, it makes me feel good;” Sarah and Jack agreed.

It is particularly fitting to have these young volunteers at Mytoi, as not only are they learning as they work, they are also developing an appreciation for the beauty of Mytoi and the man-hours it takes to keep this property beautiful. The garden does have an intern this year, which is a first, but funding has run out, so Sarah, Burke, Jack and the adult volunteers have been very much appreciated.