(From left to right (not including Westborough Garden club volunteers) David Asante, Denise Lindberg, Sara MacKenzie, Kristina England, Jacqueline Quinlan, Lisa Connor, Megan Momtaheni, Denise Barton, Jake Hewins, and Jacob Sturtz).



The DEIA team hosted its inaugural volunteer day on September 11th in honor of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Volunteers represented almost all departments across the UMass President’s Office. David Asante, Denise Lindberg, Kristina England, Jacqueline Quinlan, Lisa Connor, Megan Momtaheni, Denise Barton, Jake Hewins, Jacob Sturtz, and Sara MacKenzie graciously volunteered to spend their afternoon with the Westborough Garden Club, beautifying their Gateway Garden. The largest of their 24 gardens in Westborough, the Gateway Garden on E Main Street, needed some TLC after the summer, and as their membership is in decline, the UMass President’s Office volunteers stepped in to lend a hand.   

UMPO volunteers weeding the Gateway Garden.

September 11 was federally recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance by Congress in 2009 and has since become the largest annual day of charitable service in the US (September 11 National Day of Service). More than 30 million people in the United States volunteered their time on 9/11 day of service, according to the organization that created the service day, 9/11 Day.


The President’s Office volunteers weeded, cleared leaves and brush, pruned, and planted. The team was so efficient that we were able to tackle the entire garden in less than two hours! The Westborough Garden Club was so welcoming to our volunteers, sharing their knowledge of the garden and the local area, and even providing popsicles as a welcome treat after an afternoon of hard work! 


The DEIA team wants to give a huge THANK YOU to our volunteers for making this afternoon such a success and to the Westborough Garden Club for so graciously hosting us!


To learn more about the great work of the Westborough Garden Club and to get more involved, please visit the Westborough Garden Club’s website. 


Check out more photos of our afternoon below!

UMPO volunteers working on the Gateway Garden.


 

UMPO volunteers working on the Gateway Garden.


 

Westborough Garden Club members and UMPO volunteers.

 

The Gateway Garden looks great after the hard work of the UMPO volunteers and Westborough Garden Club members!