WASHINGTON — Outside of a week or two in the darkest days of
winter, it's always gardening season for Jana Hukriede.
A key volunteer at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri's
LifeHouse Crisis Maternity Home in Springfield, Hukriede finds that hardly a
day passes in which she is not organizing volunteers, looking for bargains on
gardening supplies and planning which vegetables to plant when in the numerous
raised beds at the home's 11-acre property.
Hukriede, 69, a retired Catholic school teacher, has been at it
for seven years and has seen her involvement grow into one that the women who
live at the maternity home have come to appreciate and welcome.
Catholic Charities USA recognized Hukriede's commitment as its
2019 volunteer of the year. She will be honored during the agency's annual
gathering Sept. 25-27 in Albuquerque, N.M. She kidded that she hopes the
ceremony won't interfere with her garden schedule.
Hukriede said she started volunteering after seeing an invitation
in her parish bulletin at Holy Trinity Church because she "felt moved by
the spirit."
"I thought, 'Well, gosh, what can I do to help?'" she
recalled.
Joined by the dozens of volunteers she has recruited — mostly
retirees, but occasionally the group includes a few college students who stop
by to aid with a major project — Hukriede has helped create a caring community
focused on meeting the needs of pregnant women and young mothers challenged by
homelessness, domestic violence or addictions.
Her efforts have led to a gradual expansion of the garden. The harvest
of kale, broccoli, onions, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and squash has
increased enough to become a significant source of healthy food for LifeHouse
residents. Not only does Hukriede's team grow and harvest the food, but they
have helped the women get involved in weeding, harvesting and canning the
produce that is grown.
There's now a greenhouse on site so that vegetables can be grown
year-round and Hukriede is eyeing the eventual installation of a water
irrigation system.
"It's just so gratifying, too, to get other people involved
and work as a team for a common goal," Hukriede said. "We all know we
are doing a great service for Catholic Charities and the women at
LifeHouse."
Michele Marsh, LifeHouse director, described Hukriede as
motivated to serve women who have had more than their share of hardship in
life.
"She a joyful person. She's dedicated. Really, she's
inspired so many people. And she's a good role model," Marsh said.
It's more than the garden to which Hukriede has committed her
time. She continues as an on-call substitute teacher, is a lector and
extraordinary minister of holy Communion at Holy Trinity, and helps prepare
meals after funerals for parishioners.
She said her husband of 34 years, Malcolm, supports her effort.
The couple's son John, 36, is married and has a 3-year-old son with wife
Linsey. Their son Stephen was born with cerebral palsy and died in 2010 at age
24.
Hukriede said she is pleased to be recognized for her
volunteerism, but that awards are not why she has devoted so much time to
gardening at LifeHouse.
"It's about giving service," she said. "That's
what Jesus modeled."