Kaitlin, Meghan, Jillian, Josie, and Jennifer, with Conn Hagen and his new Victory Garden, and Ashley at far right. Conn helps homeless veterans and was very passionate about his garden.

On May 15, Talent Acquisition Manager Jennifer Von Behren (née Laning) and Branch Operations Support Supervisor Ashley Coleman represented Corporate and volunteered with the Victory Garden Initiative in Milwaukee during the group’s annual “Blitz.” The goal of the Blitz is to build and fill more than 500 garden beds over a period of 15 days in May.

Other members of the team were Jennifer’s daughters Jillian and Josie, and her stepdaughters Kaitlin and Meghan Von Behren. The team delivered three prebuilt garden boxes in the Story Hill neighborhood (close to Miller Park), and a fourth near 38th and North Avenue. Each garden took about six full wheelbarrows of soil. (One was double-height and took about twice that amount.) The soil was a rich mixture of 40/60 organic garden soil and compost.

Kaitlin, Jenn, and Jillian, ready to get to work.

The volunteers weren’t sure what to expect, but they were thrilled to see the new Victory Garden owners’ excitement upon receiving the garden boxes. One delighted new garden owner even rewarded the team’s hard work with a cookie!

Jennifer said her daughters were very quiet on the long drive home after the work was done — they were tired and sore from the day’s work. She says all of her girls want to do it again next year, because they enjoyed it so much.

You can read more about the VGI and the annual Blitz here. If you would also be interested in joining a group at next year’s Victory Garden Blitz, please contact Human Resources VP Molly Schissler at mschissler@northshorebank.com.