His journey as a Scout started when he was in first grade as a Cub Scout. He’s since moved up the ranks as a 15-year-old, tackling bigger and more complex goals along the way and even helping to guide the younger Scouts who come into the troop. All the projects he and his troop mates have done involved giving back in some way, but Nathan developed this unique idea with a spirit of growth and celebration for everyone in his community.
“I think gardening is very special to me because when my sister and I were younger, we would go with our grandma to the backyard and tend to the plants there,” Nathan recalls when talking about why he chose to build garden beds. “And I ended up benefiting from that a couple years ago because I burnt my leg and since we had aloe vera in the garden, I could use that to help soothe the burn.”
Nathan’s overall goal for the project was to create something for the participants at the program – adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) – to explore and enhance their experience with different sensory plants. This is something that Ella, the center’s program manager, was impressed by, since it encapsulates some of the clinical activities she and her team do with the participants each day.
Participants having fun planting succulents in the new raised garden bed.
“In the courtyard where we do our daily walks, the participants go by and touch the succulents or smell the fragrant herbs that Nathan picked out,” Ella says. “With his idea, it’s not only fun but it’s really meaningful for many of our participants who love getting a variety of sensory input.”
Nathan and his crew of 40, consisting of fellow Scouts and adults, really exemplified their deep commitment and focus throughout the day as they built the garden beds, a bench for seating, as well as a raised workbench for the participants. “I was very impressed,” says Ella. “They all had jobs to do. They were so organized, and they totally took care of everything.”
For Nathan, seeing all his plans that he came up with becoming reality was a huge highlight. “Working on the details and having the solutions come together was very gratifying,” Nathan says. “It showed, for me, a little more about how I can be asking people who are more experienced for help, and that there may be hiccups, but they can make for really rewarding moments.”
The garden beds have a lot of big plans in store for them, from growing vegetables for healthy eating, to growing flowers for making lei. “The participants will get to research what plants will thrive in the gardens,” says Ella when talking about what else the program will do with some of the beds. “They’ll also go to a local nursery to pick out those plants and seeds, ask questions from the pros, plant them and take care of them.”
With so much possibility and potential, it’s amazing to see how all this started with a tiny seed of an idea. “If you can find something in your community that interests you, or you have some connection to, that’s where passion starts,” says Nathan. “For me, it was wanting to give back to Easterseals Hawaii for helping my auntie all those years. So, reach out to a place that matters to you, and see how you can help. You might not know everything they need, but they do, and it’s a great way to strengthen the community.”
If you’re interested in connecting with Easterseals Hawaii to volunteer at events, make a donation or learn more about the ways you can partner with us, please contact us at [email protected]. We’d love to have a conversation with you.