Each month we have been highlighting a member of GRuB’s Sustaining Circle, which includes our closest supporters who contribute to GRuB consistently across multiple years in a personally significant way; whether through financial donations or donations of time, skills, advice and direction, or however else they feel called to serve. This month, we are featuring Jane Lawson, who has decided to support GRuB in a BIG way by offering to leave her home to GRuB in her will!
Jane and her late husband, Ron Lawson, shared a deep love of gardening and a passion for people’s access to fresh, locally-produced food. Ron, an extrovert, was a Lacey City Councilmember who tirelessly campaigned for community gardens and was a longtime supporter of GRuB and other community organizations, including running the gardens at the Boys & Girls Club of Thurston County. In contrast, Jane, a self-described introvert, expressed her love of gardening by tending their front and backyard gardens at their home in Lacey. She spent countless hours pampering each plant, studying how best to take care of them, and sharing her knowledge and bounty with friends and neighbors. “What makes a gardener good is the enjoyment” she said, as she described her beautiful gardens. She planned to apply for a GRuB backyard garden last year, but sadly decided not to due to health complications that made gardening difficult. But she hopes to be able to enjoy fresh and healthy veggies from her own garden again when she's able, especially missing her freshly grown tomatoes.
After Ron passed away in 2015, and with no children, Jane was faced with the question of who to leave her house to in her will. She chose to leave her house to GRuB because she was especially moved by the work we do educating and supporting youth to “get grounded” by helping them develop a sense of values, cooperation, and work-ethic, something she believes is lacking in today’s conventional education system. She said, “I wish I was young and giddy again so I could get more involved and do more things for GRuB,” but she felt this was the best she could do to support our work.
Jane hopes more people become aware of GRuB and our work and wants to see everyone with even the most minimal space turn it into a garden. Last year she generously donated gardening tools and fertilizer to GRuB and our Victory Farm. For others who can’t contribute financially but want to support GRuB, Jane says there are “any number of ways that could be helpful” to be a GRuB sustainer, including helping at the farm or even donating pieces of their land to use as community garden spaces.
We are beyond grateful to Jane for her incredibly generous gift and are honored to have her as a member of our Sustaining Circle. Thank you from the very bottom of our GRuBby hearts!
