Flowers powered by volunteers

Published 11:57 am Thursday, March 20, 2014

Janene Piecuch, Linda Gutowski, Darlene McCaffrey and Phyllis Yoshida say they’re living proof that a little time and effort can make a big difference.

The four dedicate an hour a week to the garden at Olympic Theatre Art’s facility on North Sequim Avenue.

The result is lovely. And a darn sight better than what they found.

The plants have mostly been donated, though occasionally a member of the theater, or the theater itself, has ponied up a few bucks.

Many theater members have donated plants from their own gardens and local growers also have been forthcoming, they said.

McCaffrey said it all started six years ago when she and her husband drove by the theater. “It wasn’t kept up, so he volunteered,” she said.

So did McCaffrey and so did Rosie Ingle. Together they made a good deal of progress.

“I can’t act or work on costumes, so this is a way for me to do something to help out,” McCaffrey said.

Piecuch laughed as she described the garden’s design. “It’s all personal,” she said. “It’s what we like.”

She added that they mostly choose perennials, particularly those that are attractive year-round. Seasonal flowers also make an appearance, including tulips in spring and lavender in summer.

They’re pretty well done with the bed adjacent to the avenue, but they still have plenty to do fixing up the beds on the side and in back of the theater.

Volunteers are welcome. So are gifts of plants.

“We mostly do this because we like each other,” Piecuch said. “We have fun. That’s the main thing.”

For more information, call McCaffrey at 681-3375.

Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.