WESTMINSTER — A bundle of boundless energy, Lori Miller shared her considerable talents as a volunteer gardener at Parks Place Community Resource Center in Bellows Falls for 17 years.
A certified master gardener since 2006, she soon became a volunteer at Parks Place, developing a garden where visitors and staff could find a calming patch of land that offers respite, a space for reflection and, of course, beauty.
She spent many of those years as project leader, coordinating the efforts of community and master gardeners in this labor of love. As project leader, she fostered gardens that would thrive with minimum maintenance over the years, knowing volunteer labor only stretched so far.
Thanks to Lori's constant and devoted attention, the gardens have prevailed. Over the years, an oasis has emerged where struggling families can seek the calmness that nature can bring.
Lori loved working at Parks Place. Over the past few years, while she struggled with a debilitating illness, she kept coming to Parks Place while she slowly stopped her activities with numerous other organizations. She and her husband, Dick Miller, were named Citizens of the Year in 2021 in Westminster for their many decades of work for Meals on Wheels and the Westminster Institute.
Week after week during gardening season, Lori showed up at Parks Place with her bucket of tools and a list of priorities for the day, graciously accepting the frequent appreciative comments of visitors and staff. She also fostered a strong sense of camaraderie among the gardeners, hosting many potlucks.
She will be sorely missed.
Parks Place was founded in 1995 to connect people throughout the Greater Falls region and beyond with the social, health, and educational information and resources they need to strengthen their lives.
The goal of the Extension Master Gardeners is to support safe and sustainable home gardening practices through education and community activities that incorporate Integrated Pest Management practices.