Retirement presents growth opportunities for retired teacher

Donna Dull will preside as parade Grand Marshal

    After more than four decades of helping youngsters get their education off to a good start, Donna Dull now finds enjoyment lending her talents to a number of civic groups.  Her volunteering spirit and generosity to a number of local causes is being honored this year; she will serve as Grand Marshal of Clear Lake’s renown July 4th parade.
    “The parade theme is ‘America the Beautiful,’ so  we thought a beloved teacher, Central Gardens supporter, and  Clear

Lake’s very own ‘Mother Earth’ is the perfect choice for Grand Marshal,” explained Alice Hanley, chairman of the July 4th Committee for the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
    This time of year Donna is most often found at Central Gardens of North Iowa.  If she’s not greeting visitors or a tour bus at the entrance to the public garden, she’s most likely behind the desk in the office of the new Nature Education Pavilion at the gardens, compiling a newsletter, scheduling volunteers, or visiting with volunteers working at the constantly evolving gardens.   The gardens are clearly a source of great pride and much joy for Donna.
    A new building has just been completed at the garden, providing volunteers with much-needed space to store equipment and potting tools, along with public restrooms.  The new Mother Earth Workshop (MEWs) was named in honor of Donna, who provided the main source of funding for the building.   Her Mother Earth monicker came from her involvement with the local Earth Day Committee.  She would visit elementary schools as “Mother Earth” and read to students, sharing earth-friendly messages.  She is thankful that she still has the opportunity to occasionally read to students-- this time it’s at Central Gardens, where she was invited to participate in a Fresh on - Read More Via e-Edition