Written by Juanita Fox, director of media experiences and storytelling
In early-February Allison Cuthie, executive director of CrossNet and former Garden Spot employee, invited some colleagues from Garden Spot for lunch and to tour the new CrossNet building. As she walked the group through the building, she expressed her excitement for the opportunities as well as the immediate challenges she was facing.
She shared, “I just need a day or two with a really strong, hardworking team.”
Scott Ruth, director of grounds, happened to be one of the colleagues touring. He said, “I have a team that is currently looking for work because it’s February. Let’s talk about what you need and how we can help.”
A week later the Grounds Crew was on-site helping clear out CrossNet’s warehouse and preparing it for the next step in creating an on-site clothing ministry.
Allison sent the following in a thank you note shortly after the team helped.
I was reflecting this weekend on the stages of “clean out” we have been experiencing at CrossNet, and I wanted to send an official “thank you” on behalf of my team here for the work the GSV Grounds crew gifted us last month.
The work of your team was beneficial to us beyond measure— but I thought it might be fun and meaningful to try to measure it anyway.
You did this for us!
The gift of having your team support CrossNet at this time enabled us to be in a position to make moves that I didn’t think we’d be able to consider for several months.
See below and please accept my sincere gratitude on behalf of the CN team, and those we serve.
Value of time and effort
Dumpster rental and haul away: $500
8 skilled, willing and happy staff, 8 hours, for three days at $25/hour: $4,800
Potential rental income for zoned manufacturing space, 4,500 sq ft, four months ahead of schedule: $18,000
Little things that were big to us
Boost in staff morale because things were getting done sooner and better than imagined: priceless x 100
Fulfilling staff dream of opening a clothing ministry: priceless
CrossNet participants receiving clothing: priceless
CrossNet participants receiving shoes: priceless
Opportunities for Petra volunteers to step in and take the next step: priceless
Creating efficiencies for the community outreach program: priceless
Garden Spot’s commitment to serving the broader New Holland community is visible in a variety of programs. This snapshot of service is just one example of the ways Garden Spot leans into Founder Dale Weaver’s challenge to ensure that Garden Spot is not an island onto itself, but a blessing to the people who live around us.
Juanita Fox, director of media experiences and storytelling for Garden Spot Communities, brings a wealth of marketing and storytelling experience. She is the managing editor for Destination Magazine as well as the co-host for Garden Spot’s Purpose in Retirement Podcast.