Park Angel Finds Joy in Volunteering
Stephanie Coffin is the owner/operator of Bellies Babies and Beyond, an online resource for parents, so it makes perfect sense for her to volunteer with the family focused Teddy Bear Picnic that the Conservancy hosts each year in Hampton Park.
In 2013, Coffin volunteered with the picnic planning committee and this year she is co-chairing the committee as a Lead Park Angel. After seeing a video of a previous Teddy Bear Picnic, Coffin said she knew she “had to be a part of this wonderful organization.”
What have you gained personally from being a Park Angel volunteer? Joy: the Teddy Bear Picnic was one of my favorite events I have ever been a part of and my heart was so happy to see such a wonderful event put on for the community. I am truly honored to be the co-chair of the event this year.
What have you learned about Charleston parks and/or gardening from being a Park Angel volunteer? The biggest thing I have learned is that it takes a lot of work (and volunteers) to keep our parks looking like they do, and that you don’t have to know anything about gardening to help!
Your favorite Charleston park: White Point Gardens – I love the history and it was a place I frequented as a child, so I have wonderful memories there.
Why would you recommend others volunteer with the Conservancy? Keeping our parks beautiful should be something that is on everyone’s mind, and we can’t do it alone. Even if you don’t have any gardening experience you will learn so much and get so much out of knowing you made an impact to keep Charleston so beautiful.