Back early in the year, when there was so little work to be had at Publix, and I was pondering ways to occupy my time, I began to fill my calendar up with volunteer opportunities. One of which would be going up to Callaway Gardens to be useful. After an 'interview' with a volunteer coordinator, I agreed to donate my time as a worker-bee for the annual plant sale at the Gardens that is happening this weekend. CG requires everyone to go through a day of training to learn more about the history and workings, then you are 'allowed' to pick the job you feel you would most like to commit/donate your time to doing.
A friend who is a fellow Master Gardener, I met through projects at the Columbus Botanical Gardens, was talking about helping with the plant sale when we were doing holiday decorations in early December. She reported that her family was visiting the Fantasy in Lights show on free tickets she would get as a result of donating volunteer hours to Callaway. She also gets a annual pass for gate entrance for a year, plus various and sundry discounts on overpriced merchandise. So I thought.... hmmmm.
And called to get myself signed on. Had the interview, and said I was available to work the weekend of the plant show. With the understanding that I would take the training class in January. Which I postponed due to some calendar conflict until February. And then had another conflict, so called to put it off till March - and found they don't approve of workers working until after they have been indoctrinated. So I called and promised to appear in class next Tuesday, to get myself thoroughly 'callaway-ized', if they would 'allow' me to donate my time to be a worker for three days straight.... All pretty amusing in retrospect - how I had to grovel to get the volunteer job - and over the weekend of chatting with the hundreds of non-paid worker-bees, now find out that the 'trainer' for volunteer class is being 'let go'/terminated/headed for the unemployment line.
When I checked the weather, I was a little anxious: but the whole thing takes place in the circus tent near the beach pavillion. They have obviously been doing this long enough to be very well organized. It was pretty impressive. And I don't think I have ever seen so many plants in pots condensed into such a small area. I am nearly certain the Callaway people do not fully appreciate the fact that it would not be successful, not even do-able without the hundreds of volunteers to show up faithfully to provide the labor for everything to run smoothly. Though it is likely many of the workers do it for the benefits/perks - that free annual pass is a small price for the thousands of hours of labor they receive... and with the price of everything inside the fence, they are still making a profit.
I had the best intentions of not buying plants: and you know about good intentions? I thought on my second day there, I should have sewed my pockets shut before I left home. I spent nearly $80 on plants, but am pleased that I had the discernment to limit myself to perennials. So my project on Monday will be to start getting things in the ground. After a couple of days of spring rains, now is the time... hope my motivation (and my back!) will hold up long enough to dig holes and get all my new plants settled.
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