Volunteer Opportunities at Community Gardens Near Columbus

It’s a Thursday morning last fall and Dona Watterson and her six friends are harvesting the season’s last Cubano, jalapeno and bell peppers at Highland Youth Garden in the Hilltop. The group, which met through their shared interest in rowing, has been volunteering weekly in the world of growing. They have worked at Highland Youth Garden for the past four years. The group typically meets for an early morning row at Griggs Reservoir Boathouse then heads to the garden to plant seeds, pull weeds and harvest produce. In fact, these women are part of a growing number of garden volunteers citywide. 

“We pick a little, talk a little, spend time outdoors, get some exercise, help a good cause and go to lunch at a West Side restaurant [Tommy’s, Johnny’s or BrewDog] that we might not visit otherwise,” says fellow volunteer Lynne Olson during a late October volunteer session.