Neighborhood Hero

[Beginning in 2008, the City of Olympia created a new award to recognize people and organizations that have contributed improvements to the environment in our neighborhoods. Nominations were invited in August, and Shanna Winters was recognized from our SW Neighborhood. Keep this in mind and next summer, think about sending in a nomination!] Here is why the city recognized Shanna:

Shanna has transformed her 60-ft lot into a drought-tolerant paradise that she uses to teach us about the possibilities of beautifying our yards without relying on a lot of water. She volunteers her time once a week at Dirt Works to teach composting; she gave a composting workshop at last year’s combined Gloria Dei and Neighborhood picnic and is always ready to answer questions or trouble-shoot problems.

Along with Roger Auman she is organizing the plantings to be installed at the “Welcome Spot” that is part of our neighborhood “Walking Park Project,”and has gotten the Master Gardeners to donate a pickup load of plants. She and … advised us on soil, soil amendments and configuration, and Shanna will oversee the planting in October.

But most astonishing, she is steadily turning 6th Ave. SW into a year-round homeland for rufous hummingbirds. She started with her yard, where one can often seen 4 or 5 hummingbirds at a time, some sitting on a spindly tree branch for long minutes. It is a regular spot for them. Shanna encouraged neighbors on both sides of her house to learn about and set up feeders. Now she is moving on to the next the block to get more of us to become part of our own, local SW Olympia “hummingbird zone.”