George Shipley likes to grow garlic, potatoes and beans. “They’re low maintenance and easy, I can get them started and leave them alone.”
Though he enjoys gardening, his real expertise is in woodwork or handywork. He started volunteering through the Tetra Society of North America and found his way to the Disabled Independent Gardeners Association (DIGA) from there. As a volunteer with The Disability Foundation for about ten years, he has built multiple raised beds for the DIGA, allowing individuals with wheelchairs to access their gardens. He also installed automatic watering systems (see picture bellow) in for of the community gardens. All in all, George is the guy to call when it comes to building or fixing things.
Before the pandemic, George ran the Tetra Woodworking Shop twice a week alongside his work with DIGA. He says that helping others brings him satisfaction and that he appreciated the social interactions that volunteering gives him. This love for helping others shows through by simply having a conversation with him. His good nature and kind heart speak loudly through his actions and words.
